Bloodless Death
by xXRubyDiamondXx
Summary: Max is your average highschool girl. But she's not considered fun and is only invited to parties because everyone knows she'll stay sober enough to drive them home safely. But when Fang sees her,he changes her life drastically. For the better or worse...?
1. Chapter 1

All she wanted was to go home that night, maybe stop for a coffee on the way home to her shabby apartment where she lived with her mother, and kick back, maybe get the ancient TV to work so she could watch the season finale of _Criminal Minds._

Her night did not go as planned.

She walked down the street, keeping closest to the road, a good habit for a sixteen year old girl alone at night to have, especially where she lived. She had her head down, catching all of the cracks in the cement when she heard a rustling noise in the alley up ahead. At that moment, her instincts told her turn around, maybe cross the street and just cross the road back to the other side when she got home. But she was lonely, the normal girl in school, no friends. She was the girl people could count on to stay sober at a party, so she was always invited, but she knew it was just to drive them there and back.

She wanted adventure, something very abnormal in her life, and besides, what was sticking her head around a corner going to do? It's not like there was anything dangerous… right?

She peaked around the corner, where she heard people shouting, particularly men. Someone was pushed out of the alley and soon, she was trapped in his line of vision.

"Hey! Hey, look over here." He snatched her by her hair before she could even think of what to do. She saw maybe thirty boys her age, all fighting but slowly coming to a stop as they noticed her.

Another boy, tattoos on every part of his body, walked over and snatched her from him. "What's your name?" It was more like a demand than a question.

"Uh… I-I"

He rolled his eyes and pushed her down on the ground.

"Yo, Fang, how about we make a little trade. You leave us alone and you can have this little girl right here."

She tried to scramble to her feet but was kicked in the ribs, hard. She tried to take a breath in, but all that seemed to fill her body was pain.

She looked up as she wheezed and saw the boy he was talking to. He had black hair, black eyes, black leather jacket, and tan skin. There was nothing light or flashy about him at all. He looked like the death plague. He caught her wide eyes and smirked, and then he looked at the guy standing behind him and a little to the left. He tilted his head toward her.

The boy walked over and roughly pulled her to her wobbly legs and held up most of her weight by her hair. She whimpered. He pushed her forward, over to Fang.

Fang grabbed her face and ran his hand down it, and then walked all the way around her body, his finger leaving behind a trail of goose bumps on her neck. Then he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. She wanted to scream but he quickly covered her mouth and she whimpered into it, as if trying to reason with him by telling him she was scared. He pulled her to him and turned her around.

"And what should we do with this lovely little girl if I don't want her?"

She wondered if it would be better to die instead of being taken by these maniacs.

"I'll take her."

There was a long pause, but she barely noticed because of the adrenaline pumping through her ears.

"I'll take her."

She let out a breath. Of fright or relief or simply because she wasn't going to die she didn't know, but she wouldn't have had much time to think about it even if she had cared, because everything went black.

Fang let her fall as his hand relaxed from where it had held the gun tightly to hit her with it. She moaned pitifully from on the ground and one of them laughed and kicked her in the gut. Fang smirked but only before he became angry.

"Don't touch her. She's mine."

"What, but-"

There was a loud gun shot, and a bullet was lodged in the side if the building where Fang had purposefully missed his gang member's head by inches. "Argue with me again," he warned, "and I'll put your head on a post to scare people away from my turf."

It might have been a lame threat, had he not actually done that to someone before.

He picked her up. "You got lucky this time, Dylan. But if I catch you on my turf again…" He didn't finish the threat, he didn't have to. He looked down at the girl in his arms and smirked. Being the leader of a gang just got a whole lot more fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**XxDDxX-**

**Yay! Thank you! 3**

**Macey101catlover- **

**So I was scrolling down through my reviews with a giant smile on my face and saw the word sucked and it fell…then I read your whole review and was like this: =D**

**NothingLastForever-Thank you!**

**I lOvE gIrRafFeS-**

**I love reviews, ESPECIALLY long ones ;)**

**SmileyBox-**

**It was a little short for me too, but that's where I wanted to end it. This one's longer though!**

**JezabelStrike- **

**This soon enough? ;)**

**Mroandowmr4evrandevr-**

**Of course Fang's a bad boy. I don't see him any other way. *love sick***

Max's POV

The first thing I felt was something heavy around my wrists. I couldn't move them and it hurt my arms to try because they were positioned to where they were above my head. Everything hurt, especially my head. I tried to open my eyes but the light was blinding.

I took a moment to myself, like I always did when I was nervous, and then realized that the room was actually only dimly lit, the only light coming from the moon shining through the window. I groaned.

"Glad to see you're awake." The voice was deep and masculine and had an edge of very detectable cockiness in it.

"Wha'?" My voice was raspy and soft. My throat felt parched and dry but when I tried to clear it, I ended up coughing terribly.

"Here," he said, and something was shoved into my mouth. I wanted to scream but when I notice it was some sort of liquid I drank it thirstily. My mouth tried to follow the bottle as it was pulled away, but my arms fastened above me caused me to have limited movements. "What's your name?"

"M-max," I stuttered.

He nodded and stared at me, making me feel uncomfortable. "Where…where am I?"

"Ah, nothing you need to worry about." I realized that he was Fang. I let out a breath through my nose and made a throaty noise as I struggled against my binds. After a while of this my ribs began to hurt terribly and I stopped; in the meantime, Fang had leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on my surely bruised stomach.

I grunted. "Get off of me."

He pushed his feet down on my stomach harder until I cried out, and then he rested them gently like he was before and it almost seemed like a relief instead of annoying and painful, like it was before. He studied my face, making me feel intimidated. I began to fidget under his gaze that looked like it could cut someone in half and he smirked.

"Guess you've had a rough night. Well, actually, the night before tonight. That's how long you've been out." He laughed at my expression. "You're weak." He trailed a finger down my cheek, all traces of laughter suddenly gone, making me scared. "I'll just have to toughen you up a little bit, won't I?"

His finger ran down my neck to the top of the shirt that I was wearing, which was not mine, and then ran it down my torso before lifting up my shirt, but only a little. I whimpered and closed my eyes, trying to block out everything that was happening to me. He pushed down on my stomach, a little too hard and I sucked in a breath.

"That hurt?"

I wasn't sure if I should lie or not? Would he even stop if I told him that it did hurt?

"No," I lied.

"Hm."

He pushed my shirt up a little more and pushed on my rib cage, letting all of his weight painfully crash down on it. I couldn't help it, I screamed. He didn't stop and I writhed, trying in vain to get away from him. He grabbed my throat, his hands like an anaconda around it, stopping my head which had been moving from side to side.

"Don't," his voice was the scariest thing I had ever heard when he said, "don't ever lie to me, again. Understand?"

I screamed again and tried to nod but I couldn't with his hand there.

"Answer me!"

"Y-yes!" I screamed. He held his hand on my ribs for a little while and watched me scream, and then he removed them, but left my shirt where it was. I sobbed as tears leaked out of my eyes as my entire ribcage seemed to slowly float back up from where it felt like it had been pushed deep inside of me.

"You have four broken ribs, and what you would consider major"- he did air quotes around _major_- "cuts and bruises." He looked at me menacingly. "You're not going to run away from me, understand?"

Before I could answer he raised his hand which was in a fist and it plummeted down onto my ribs.

"Do you understand?" he screamed.

"Yes," I wheezed, nodding to show him that I understood so he wouldn't hurt me.

He grinned sadistically. "Good, I go to your school, by the way. Well, only if I have nothing better to do. When it bores me I leave or just go beat up some pathetic faggot running around.

**{No offense to gays or lesbians, gays and lesbians!}**

"Yeah, so, this means you're only going to go to school, or any place for that matter, unless I tell you to. But, after you spend a few days with me, you'll have an actual life; so, it won't matter much longer, but please worry about it any way."

I tried my best to attempt a glare and he laughed at me. "Thirsty?"

He held up a beer bottle and took a sip. "Can I just have, like, some water or something?" I asked hopefully.

"No such thing around here, baby." He held out the bottle. "What, you sure seemed to like it when you downed the other bottle."

I gasped; he had given me… beer? Did he know how bad that was for brain cells? "Drink it," he ordered and pushed it to my lips. I almost didn't, but catching his glare, I shivered and downed the rest of that one too.

Ugh… why was my head up so high? I let it rest on the… well it definitely wasn't a pillow, it felt more like wood. I knew it was a mattress, though; I could see the springs sticking out by my feet. Wait…. Were they that blurry a minute ago? I heard Fang laugh at me, a few noises behind me like keys, a twisting sort of sound, and my arms felt relieved as they fell onto the hard mattress. Fang moved them to where they rested at my sides and pulled me up, my shirt falling down. I wobbled, but he held me up and handed me a new bottle that I didn't know where he got.

"Drink this one, too." I stared at it and looked up at him, swaying on the spot as I stared at him pleadingly. "It'll be alright, it'll help with the pain." I grabbed it and saw it shake in my hand and, I think I almost dropped it, but I couldn't be sure.

"Well drink it," he said, annoyed.

"Oh-ho-ho," I laughed quietly and smiled. "I forgot," I explained.

Why was he upset? Everything was fine! Perfectly fine! Wee! I put it up on my lips and began to swallow it and realized I liked it a lot more than I did a few minutes ago. He escorted me out of the room.

He walked down a few hallways and I stumbled along behind him holding onto his bicep.

"Whoa, that's big." I poked it. Rock solid. I giggled and blushed and he yawned like this was normal.

Maybe getting kidnapped by a gang wasn't going to be so bad…?

I passed out.

**Okies, kind of a random ending there but, whatevs. Tell me what you thought.**

**Oh, and please check out all my other stories. I love reviews…**

**Good bye for the night, my loves!**

**~SAVANNAH~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers, but a quick question: How do I know if someone has favorited me or my story? I was on someone's profile and I saw my story! (2 ppl actually but I don't wanna brag. He he, no way.) Okay, my lovelies! Here I am with:**

**BLOODLESS DEATH CHAPTER THREE**

My head was throbbing. Every little noise was too loud and it seemed like everything was way too bright.

"You finally awake?" The voice was hushed and it had whispered when it spoke, but I still winced at it. I tried to say something but ended up moaning instead.

"Wha'?"

I heard a snicker. "Thirsty?" I flipped him off.

"Ah, see you're already toughening up a little bit. Oh, but, uh, if you ever do that again…"

"Let me go."

He actually laughed. "Or what? You'll give me the finger? You're scary, Max." He yawned and I heard him take a sip of his beer. All was quiet. Just me and my head throbs and I started to drift off. I was floating. Pretty, shining butterflies everywhere. Like the Lunesta butterfly but blue, green, red, pink. We were in a field. And there was Fang, smiling at me, and then he offered me beer. Then I realized that that part wasn't the dream.

"No˗"

There was a loud crash down stairs, or what I assumed to be down stairs; it had come from below me.

There were gun shots and crashes. Fang cussed and untied me and scooped me up, but he was too late. Someone burst into the room, gun in hand. As soon as he saw us he fired. Fang pulled a gun out of nowhere and shot him in the head. I screamed, but not because I was frightened. Fang noticed right away and put his hand on my stomach, where blood was oozing out from.

"Ugh," I half groaned half cried as he pushed down harshly on it.

"You're okay," he said, "not fatal."

I gasped as he started running down the stairs where the noise was no longer as loud as it was before. But, then again, nothing seemed to be as loud as before. Blood was pumping in my head, my wound throbbing, and each time I felt the painful lump pass away, more blood trickled out. I was breathing hard, and my adrenaline was coursing through my veins at three hundred miles an hour.

"Can't…" I wheezed. "I can't breathe."

"Just relax," he told me, shooting somebody else in the face. "No need to get all worked up, it's just a bullet."

Just a bullet? Was he crazy? "Are you crazy?"

"Probably." He pulled the trigger again. He took cover behind a dusty couch and roughly dropped me to the ground as he shot his gun over the couch. Someone else ran over to take cover behind the couch too, except it wasn't anyone in Fang's gang. I screamed as he put the gun to my head. I was too tired to fight so I settled for screaming, for the last person I wanted any more 'help' from.

"Fang!" He turned, saw the man, and shot his head, which was right next to mine. How many was that? Seven, now? I screamed again as blood splattered on my face and I pushed myself off him with difficulty and plummeted to the ground with a loud _thump_. I barely noticed my head was in Fang's lap. When did he sit down?

"Oooohhh," I groaned. I was spent.

All was quiet. "Who was that?" someone asked.

"Shadows," someone answered, letting the dead man's wrist, where the tattoo was, he had been studying mercilessly fall back to the ground. One man started to stand up, grunting, before someone shot him. I jumped and got closer to Fang, feeling more vulnerable than ever, which was definitely saying something.

"Help the injured, and do it quickly, but only on our side. Kill everyone else, and get ready to move out." Everyone began to do as Fang said.

He picked me up and started walking up the stairs, twisting my body every time he stepped up. I think I passed out for a little while, because when I opened my eyes, I was still crying, but I was lying on the bed. When had he set me down? When had we gotten to the room?

"Drink this." He handed me more beer.

I sobbed a little. "N-n-no." My voice was hoarse and I had to gasp for breath as soon as I spoke.

"Don't you argue with me." His voice scared me in my vulnerable position so I did my best to lift the bottle, but I dropped it- somewhere- but it was soon back in my hands. "Just focus on holding it." His voice wasn't scary any more.

"O…oak…" was my best attempt at saying 'okay'.

I heard shuffling noises, and a few clanks. I saw a few shirts, when I opened my eyes, a bag and some more beer. I tried to say something, but I wasn't sure what it was. Neither was he.

"You're alright, Max. Keep your eyes open."

My eyes drooped. Wait, keep my eyes open? What about blinking? I was floating again, but when he slung his bag over his shoulder and scooped me up I was flying. Soaring. Weeeeeee, oh, man, that hurt.

He was going down the stairs again. I opened my eyes to make sure and almost screamed. My head was hanging off his shoulder, and he was unable to hold it up because his arms were cradling the fold in my legs and my upper back. I tried to pick it up. It hurt so badly and I could barely see I was so dizzy.

I started crying again. If I had even ever stopped, I wasn't sure. Was I still holding the bottle?

I faintly saw a few guys, some older teens, maybe just in the twenties. Some had bags, some had packs of beer. I only saw an image of that, and it was blurry, making my head hurt worse. I closed my eyes again.

"Fffaaannnng?" I said after a while.

"I'm here, Max. Fang's here."

I was suddenly okay again.

**Awe, a little bit of FAX. I know I rushed it, but she's like delusional now, so, don't worry! But it will start up in a little bit . It wouldn't be a story without it. Anyway, when I first started writing this story, I really didn't think it would be as popular as my other one, **_**Vampire Kisses**_**; but that one only has like 4 reviews so, check that one out too. That one doesn't have as much action as this one YET but give it time. **

***sigh***

**Tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Eep! I thank all the lovely peoples who take their time to review . I have 33 reviews and only three chapters! I have to say I'm surprised. I really thought my other story Vampire Kisses was going to be a major hit, but it's nowhere close to this one. But check that one out too. It's gonna get a lot better! 3**

**Okay, people, one other thing that I found in a bunch of reviews was that Max is weak. I know that; I'm the one writing it! But don't worry, that will soon be over because I can't write this cream puff stuff much longer, but that's one of the major points in the whole story. She's changing into the person that she needs help letting out because she's not confident enough. She's having a… bloodless death . Anyway, the weakness shall soon pass . Okay, writing time.**

**BLOODLESS DEATH CHAPTER FOUR**

I was bouncing, maybe moving. Was I lying down? I groaned. My stomach was wet and I was cold everywhere. Something was pushed into the bullet wound. I wanted to scream but I didn't, instead prying my eyes open slower than I would have liked to.

I saw a boy, blonde hair, blue eyes, diligently working on getting the bullet out with a pair of tweezers.

"Knife," he ordered. My eyes widened. I tried to move but an arm held me still; I knew it was Fang when his face came into view as he handed a knife to the boy. I gasped ad tried to scramble away when I felt it go into my side, slowly breaking my skin.

"Be still," Fang told me. It went farther in and I tried to distract myself by looking around the room… or car, a big car, a van actually. We were in the very back, my head resting on Fang's lap. I tilted my head to look at him and felt sweat run down the side of my face, making me feel colder than I already was. "Thirsty?"

I tried to roll my eyes but I began to feel light headed so I just closed them instead. I felt the knife go in farther.

"Uh," I breathed out. I clamped my eyes shut. The knife was removed and I looked up just in time to see the boy dig his long, slender fingers into the wound. Fang put his hand in front of my mouth and I instinctively bit it, squeezing something in my hand that I later realized was his other hand. He pulled his fingers out and I felt a sudden relief, but the moment was short lived. He took a bottle of alcohol, the cleaning kind, something rare around here with these people. He slowly poured the liquid into the wound. When I started biting down harder I realized Fang's hand was still in my mouth. His eyes stared at me calmly, making me feel intimidated and I tried to stop all of my movements so that he would think that it didn't hurt.

I by no means wanted to impress him; he just made me feel so intimidated that I just… had to make it stop.

"James, by the way," the boy said. He looked at me and laughed. "First gunshot wound?"

I didn't have to answer. He laughed. "Ah, non-gang members are so…"

"Delicate," Fang said. Fang pulled his hand out when I stopped biting down and I saw blood dripping off of it. I wasn't sure if I should tell him I was sorry. I mean, gang members didn't exactly… uh… use _manners_, did they?

From what I had seen, I was going to go with a no. But I wasn't a gang member. I looked at Fang's hand again. It looked… majestic. Could a hand be majestic? Yes, yes it could. It was gnarled and the knuckles were big. His fingers were long and slender and they were coated with a little blood around the knuckles, and a small amount of dust that looked like it could be easily brushed away. His wrists were large but not bulky, and the rest of his forearm looked the same way until it got close to the elbow, which climaxed up to his bulky bicep which looked like two giant soft balls stuck under the skin. A noticeable vein ran down the side and I wondered what it would look like if he was actually flexing his arm.

I felt a large amount of saliva rush to my mouth, which brought me back to reality, where I noticed I was breathing hard. My face was hot and my heart was beating fast and I became very aware that my head was in Fang's lap. My head was in his lap. His legs were warm and I could feel through his black jeans that they were big and muscular. I looked up at him, first noticing his eyes, making me realize that I had never really noticed any other guys before. His eyes sparkled with mischief and, for some reason, I liked it.

I was the quiet girl. And he was a gang leader, who I had been _kidnapped _by! It was getting harder and harder to remember that I wasn't here on my own free will.

He had high and long cheek bones, no acne covering them. His lips were pulled into his normal, tight smirk and-

That was not normal. I looked at his whole face and realized I had been checking him out.

_And he had been watching me._

My face went bright red and I suddenly didn't like being in his lap anymore. James was laughing to himself as he wiped blood off my stomach and I tried to say something, though no one, including me, knew what it was.

"You know," James said, "I think it's gonna be kinda fun havin' the little girl with us. I mean, sure you're annoying and all, but you're pretty hot, I just like the experienced ladies." He bit his tongue and chuckled a little.

I tried to forget that it was my first time being called anything remotely close to pretty, much less _hot._

"You don't even know me," I said, desperately trying to change the subject. "How could you think I'm annoying?"

He gave me a dead serious stare. "Who cries because of a bullet?" He actually laughed as he rolled his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry I couldn't update, you guys! I've been in Miami with my gparents again, just to kind of check up on my grandpa, but he's okay now. No more pneumonia . Alright, updates will be getting back on track, as I already have a few chapters written for this story and all of my other ones, plus a new story soon. ;)**

**Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews which consisted of: Death threats, orders on what I'm going to make the story about (sorry, guys, I got that covered), information from a few of you on how it feels to have a bullet inside of your body, orders and begs to update the story soon, and orders on how to make Max and Fang act (which, that too, I have under control). **

**Anyway, they were all positive, which is a good thing, so keep it up, even if it's something like: "I see dead people."**

**That's cool. But I'm soooo excited because I have 43 reviews and only 4 chapters up. Eep! It's too bad I have 4 chapters on Vampire Kisses and only 6 reviews. Maybe you guys could read that one too? It's really good. Okay, to answer some of your reviews:**

**Macey101catlover- Thank you! And, is it **_**that**_** weird to check out someone's arm? I had fun imagining it in my head…**

**Whocares1313- Thank you for answering my question! No one else did. I wonder if you're the only one who reads these things… and, oh, black eye? Are you a girl? I've never really seen a girl get a black eye before… although, Max is going to get one soon. Anyway, I'd love to hear the details of the fight you got in , I'm sure you're aware that I'm a fan of action, I mean, just read my story. Fourth chapter and someone has already died, been shot in the stomach, drunk and kidnapped. Ha ha…yeah… sometimes I wonder if something is wrong with me. ;/**

**JealousMindsThinkAlike- I love you, man. I think you've reviewed, like, every story of mine **

**Jace'n'FangLover- I liked it too!**

**Beat- :o**

**Serenaisbestezrq387- ha ha, yeah…**

**Purplefreak111- I am also a fan of the deep, dark, and mysterious hottie, but yeah, Iggy too… *sigh***

**Sk8er shark- Eh, not sure about a mother… but I was thinking about making somebody sing or something like that, so thanks for reviewing! 3**

**XxDDxX- I liked the ending too!**

**xWhite Winged Angelx- I'm not really sure if the way you said cute-ish is a good thing or not, but since you said to update soon, I'm going to take it as a compliment.**

**Bloodless Death Chapter 5**

"I can walk, Fang." I tried to glare at him again, and he, at least, tried to hide his snicker and told me it looked better than it first did. I flipped him off. I normally wasn't this rude, but I was sick of him carrying me everywhere.

He snorted and stepped out of the van and crossed his arms looking defiantly at me. "Okay," he said sarcastically.

I slid over, not doing very good at hiding the pain that was showing on my face. He snickered and I glared at him. I slowly slid out of the van, feeling very dizzy. The wound started bleeding again and I couldn't see very well. My head rested on something warm and hard and it was soothing. I only realized it was Fang when he picked me up.

I didn't want to hear him laugh at me again, so I didn't say anything, instead trying to clear out my vision enough to see the house we were walking up to. We were in the woods and I just wanted to go home. I had been shot and it made me realize just how much I was afraid of this, of this life style, and for the first time since I had been here, I thought of my mother, smoking and crying at the same time, sitting on her boyfriend of the week's lap.

She wasn't perfect but I loved her and I wanted to go home. I bet she thought I had run away.

But I was afraid of Fang too. What would he do if I ran away? He looked like he was having a pretty good time when he had almost broken my ribs again just because I lied to him. And he hadn't even given me fair warning for that.

"Calm down." Fang's voice held authority but it was soft and gentle, something I hadn't heard a lot of here, especially from him.

"Why?" I didn't really care why; I just wanted to challenge him somehow. I hated how he could make me do whatever he wanted and I wanted it to stop, but I didn't know how.

"Because your heart is beating fast, making your blood flow fast, and making this-" he pushed his fingers onto the bullet wound and I let out a whimper, "bleed."

His fingers still hurt but not as much, and it surprised me when I realized he wasn't trying to hurt me, just stop the bleeding.

He led me inside the house and took me upstairs where there were less boys and I suddenly thought about how quiet it was. "Where are we going?" My voice sounded quiet too, but I felt like it would have sounded too loud if I had spoken any louder, considering everyone upstairs stopped to stare at us, dead silent.

Fang handed me to one of them, and the sudden change of personalities kind of frightened me. As soon as Fang stepped into one of the rooms, the boy holding me started stroking my cheek and I looked away and felt his breath on my neck. It reeked of alcohol. Some of them laughed quietly, while others just stared in silence, their eyes locked on the door Fang had gone in, flicking nervously back and forth. He ran his hands down my neck, leaving a trail of icy chills. I felt his lips on my neck and then-

The laughing stopped, the man stopped, and Fang took me from the man, glaring at him. He set me down and I stood, leaning on the banister for support.

"Everyone who laughed, come here."

Some of them who had did, and three of them didn't. Fang stepped forward and spoke so quietly I couldn't make out the words, but I knew if I could I would pee myself.

All of them nodded and walked away, but Fang grabbed onto the one who had held me. All he did was glare, but it served as a warning.

He nodded and Fang pushed him roughly, and I wondered how he could be so strong and gentle at the same time with me.

"James." He looked up at Fang. "Get them, and have Antonio teach them a little lesson."

I wasn't sure what he meant until the three who hadn't stepped up were pushed forward and were not so gently escorted down the stairs of the giant mansion.

I was pretty sure I didn't want to meet Antonio any time soon.

Fang continued going through all the rooms. When he was done he said, "Okay, Jamison, I want you to set up watches. And make sure Toby-" he pointed to the man who had held me, "gets all night long for the rest of the week, along with _them_. And make those three have all night for two weeks, after they've had enough time to… recover."

Jamison, a tan kid who looked around twelve, nodded and walked away, looking like he wasn't sure if he should be afraid or happy that the gang leader knew his name.

"C'mere." It took my dizzy head a few long seconds to realize that Fang had spoken, another two to realize he was talking to me and my head was still looking at the ground, completely unaware of what was going on, and another three or four to realize what he had said and what it meant, but that was only after my head had recovered from the sudden head rush I got after he had picked me up.

When had he done that? I leaned against his warm shoulder and realized I felt cold.

He laid me on the bed and told someone to get James and Antonio.

"Who's Antonio?" I asked him.

"He's our knife expert."

I swallowed. "Why do you need him?"

"For you," he answered curtly.

I swallowed again. Had I done something wrong?

He was staring intently at my stomach, concern gracing his features.

Someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?"

"Keith, sir."

Fang sighed. "What?"

The door opened.

Keith looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. His blond hair, wet on the bangs, showed his sweat and how hard he'd been working. Or maybe he was just nervous. Either was very likely. "Well, Antonio's a little busy with these three guys. Apparently they did somethin' bad, I don't know, but they had a little accident and James is helpin' him assist one who is currently bleeding to death," he said matter of factly. "He said he would love to help with whatever you wanted, but he needed to know if you cared if he died or not first."

Fang rolled his eyes, and I realized he hated it when people just didn't get to the point. His expression showed that he wondered why he hadn't just told him they were helping a dying person. He put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. I wanted a blanket. It felt so warm underneath me; I was just too cold and the sweat coming out of my body didn't help with the cool air around me.

"Fang?" My voice was raspier than it had been in the van.

"Shh," he told me quietly.

"But"-

"I said to be quiet. Just concentrate on squeezing my hand. Keith, go get me a bunch of water bottles. Big ones. Bring me alcohol, the cleaning _and_ drinking kind." I sighed even though that was, like, "custom" here. "… Cotton swabs and those pad things and bandages. Get a lot of all of it."

"How long do I have to get it?"

Fang rolled his eyes. "Just go!"

"Yes, sir." He left quickly.

I wondered if I would make Fang angrier if I tried to talk again.

"What were you saying before?" His voice was softer now. Maybe he wasn't mad anymore?

"I-" I had to stop to cough a little bit. "I'm cold."

"Yeah?" He sounded like he was talking to a young child, but it calmed me down.

"Yeah."

"We'll have to fix that." His voice was matter of fact.

I realized my stomach hadn't hurt much before, but now…

"It hurts now," I told him.

He nodded. "I know. The medicine wore off."

"You gave me medicine?" My voice went higher with the question and it broke. I didn't want to talk anymore.

I felt him lift my shirt and it was stuck to my skin, glued to it with all the dried blood. It hurt.

"Stop." It felt colder now and I felt every hair on my body stand up with embarrassment and my lack of comfort.

He didn't stop. He lifted it and stopped it a little bit higher than I felt comfortable with and I moved my hands to put it down a little, but he stopped me.

"Don't move."

He assessed the damage for a moment and then, a thought seemed to pop into his mind, like he had been taking a boring test and right before he fell asleep remembered the answer. "I'll be right back." He stood up, and I didn't want to let go of his hand. It was the only warm thing around me, but he gently reached down and easily pried my hand off, laying it gently onto my chest. The way he did it slowly and gently made me feel comforted. He hurriedly walked out of the room and I felt alone and cold. Too cold.

I reached up, hating the feeling of leaving the wound uncovered, the numbing pain spreading throughout out my whole stomach as my hands went higher. I pulled the blankets down with difficulty and slowly moved my legs underneath. It hurt my body and the sheets were cold so I put them over my mouth and I started breathing under them and by the time Fang got back, I was warm enough to stop. I wondered if he was angry with me when he said, "'I told you not to move,'" but he didn't sound it.

He had towels in his hands. He set them down and reached up to pull the blankets down. I grabbed onto them. "No." It wasn't a question; it wasn't a command, more so a plea, but it didn't stop him.

"I'll get you warm in a minute." He placed two towels underneath me and he took my shirt off completely, much to my protest.

I quickly put my hands over my chest event though he had already put the blankets over me. I definitely felt warm now, and I was sure the color of my face showed it. I felt like crying now, I felt so overwhelmed. I just wanted to go home. But he didn't mock me like he normally would have; he was just messing with something on the table, intently stirring the liquid in the bowl with his finger. It looked like wet dirt. He took out some Baking Soda and poured some in and stirred it. It looked grey now.

Keith walked in with the stuff. I saw him glance at my shirt, which was torn and on the ground, and I pushed the blankets up higher on my throat.

I felt vulnerable, cold. I had been kidnapped by a gang, I had been shot and something was definitely wrong, and the fact that Fang was pulling the blankets down again didn't help. Especially with Keith in the room.

"Need help?" I was relieved to see that he wasn't even looking at me.

"Nah, I got it."

He left.

I put my hands on my chest and I felt better when Fang didn't try to move them, but the task soon got tiring, and I let them fall a little so my arms were resting on the bed, and it wasn't until later that I realized I wasn't even covering myself anymore.

I had been shot on the left, which was away from Fang and by the wall, but Fang decided not to make me move, so he got on the king size bed, crawling over me, carrying all the items he wanted at the moment. I felt so weak when my hands fell and I felt like sleeping. I closed my eyes and Fang quickly told me to stay awake.

I let my head fall to the side as he poured the alcohol into the wound. My eyebrows knitted together tightly.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. Something was definitely wrong.

"Nothing," he said reassuringly. I didn't believe him but his face calmed me down. He just looked so… calm, I almost felt stupid for being so nervous.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

A man walked in with James. "How's he?"

"Dead."

Fang nodded as he yawned. "Antonio, look at this."

The man walked forward and looked at the wound, putting his fingers on it and moving the skin a little.

"Might be infected by tomorrow. Good thing there's no arteries or major organs around it so we'll be able to-"

"Shut up, man," Fang said, annoyed. There was an unspoken conversation said between the two and James.

I felt so uncomfortable. I started squirming under their gazes and tried to look at the wound, but Fang held my head down. I was too tired to fight him.

"Okay, so when…" James let his voice trail off.

"Let it sit, the alcohol should help, but I'm here if it doesn't."

"Right, I guess that's it then, I'll watch it."

"What's wrong?" I demanded. My body was tense and it felt impossible to relax. Fang nodded at them and they left. I tried to look at it but Fang started to rub the sensitive part of my shoulders. It hurt, and I felt like a frozen stick but I let my head fall into his lap when he gave it a gentle push. I looked at him. His face was so calm- again- I felt stupid for being so upset and I tried to force myself to relax. It worked, and Fang didn't stop. I felt like I was floating. Was I crying? Why? Nothing was wrong. I stopped and my head fell to the side, his hard knee gently catching it. One of his hands moved to my neck as his other reached toward the end of the bed and I heard the liquid inside the bottle make a sound, and the alcohol was poured onto one of the gauze pads and he started rubbing all around the wound, moving it higher than I thought the blood was, but as he cleaned me I realized the sticky feeling I hadn't noticed before creeping away with every stroke, and with Fang's hand undeniably forcing me into gentle relaxation, I fell asleep.

**Oh my gosh, that was by far the longest chapter I've ever written! Tell me what you think, my lovelies! 3 **

**-SAVANNAH 3-**


	6. Chapter 6

**I refuse to waste my time with excuses for not updating. I've had a mild case of writer's block and have yet to recover, so deal with it. If it sucks, I don't want to hear it. If you still say it, please be reminded that flames will be used to make s'mores. Now, I realized that I never put up a disclaimer, so:**

**Disclaimer: If James Patterson was a five foot fourteen year old girl, then this story wouldn't be posted on Fanfiction, it would be a best-seller around the world. And I would be rich. Now, if you're that stupid: No, I do not own Maximum Ride. Yet.**

**Bloodless Death Chapter 6**

I woke up to someone probing at my wound. I groaned and pushed the hand away, annoyed. It came back.

"Stop it," I mumbled, rolling over.

"Should I knock her out?"

My eyes snapped open.

"No," Fang's voice rang out like a deadly poison.

"Those bullets are crazy, man," Antonio said. "How do you think they managed it?"

Fang shook his head as James pushed his eyebrows together in concentration. "Maybe we should do it, man. We don't want it to get worse…"

Fang stroked my forehead. "You're okay. It's not that bad. We can take care of it," he whispered.

Antonio said, "Dude"- he pointed to my stomach -"_that_ is unreal. I've never seen anything like it! The last one who got hit with that dropped dead-"

"Shut up," Fang ordered, carefully feeling around the wound. I felt a lump under my skin moving against his fingers. It hurt, like pus or something. But it hurt a lot worse than that. More like a thousand of those bullets at the same time. I hissed.

"Does this hurt?"

I nodded.

"This?"

I nodded.

"How 'bout thi-"

I cried out and the three looked at each other.

"Yeah, okay, we gotta do it, man. Like, now."

Fang nodded to Antonio and he picked up a large tool box and opened it up. He stared into it for a moment before pulling out three long cutting devices that I had never seen. I wasn't too happy when he approached me, but Fang held me still.

"Okay, you need to watch out here-" James put his finger to my stomach a little ways above the wound, and continued, "- and here."

Antonio nodded, barely hesitating as he sliced right over the wound. The sound that escaped me was less than a moan, but only because I couldn't manage one. It hurt so badly; and, I felt liquid gushing out of it like a water fall.

"You're doing great," I heard James say, "when this happened to Fang he passed out." I heard a loud slapping sound and a laugh as James retreated from Fang. I opened my eyes just in time to see Antonio pick up a large knife that was curved at the end. I slid back as far as I could, which was about an inch, and it plummeted into my stomach and began raking the lumpy pus like stuff out of my body. I think I screamed but I couldn't be sure. I couldn't move; I couldn't talk. My face scrunched up and, had it not been a natural reaction to the pain I wouldn't have been able to manage it. It went on for hours to me; though for the rest, I think it was about fifteen or twenty minutes. Half an hour at the most.

I was sobbing uncontrollably; tears were running down my face.

Fang said, "Somebody get Alice."

After a minute of me crying in Fang's lap he sat me up and let me rest against his torso. I buried my face in his neck and calmed down a little bit. His arms wrapped around me and I held him tighter, afraid he would let go.

Alice was tall, with jet black hair and bright green eyes. Her hair was straight and long. She was dressed in all black, her leather jacket making her look like a biker girl. She smelled of beer. She was nice though. She followed Fang's orders and helped me bathe. I was thoroughly embarrassed at how I couldn't even sit up for long in the tub. If she had turned away for more than a second I would have drowned.

Fang came in when she was finished and picked me up and carried me back into the room. I would have been more embarrassed had I realized that the only thing covering me was a towel. She put me in black, cotton shorts, way too short for my liking, and a tank top. Fang came back into the room after she told me she hoped I felt better soon and then left. Fang got into the bed next to me, staying on top of the warm blankets.

I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I wasn't alone. Fang was sprawled out next to me. His face was surprisingly calm and peaceful. He always had that stoic look but now he was just…

He woke up quickly, surprising me.

"I felt you looking at me," he explained.

"How?"

He shrugged.

It was nighttime now. The stars were bright and I once again thought of my mother. I felt moisture gather together to form tears.

"Does it hurt again?" Fang snapped, looking like he was having a panic attack. It frightened me, the sudden change of emotion in him. "Where? Where?"

"It doesn't hurt!"

Silence.

"Oh. What's wrong?"

I shrugged.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"I…"

He waited.

"I miss my mom…" I almost continued to cry because of how stupid I was sure I sounded. He wrapped his arms around me and held me. I didn't make a lot of noise at all really, just tears.

"It's the poison. The bullet has poison in it. That's what they do, the Erasers, they make some sort of substance that only affects… a certain kind of person. You have to be special."

"What're you talking about?"

He sighed. "I'll tell you when you're ready, Max. And don't worry, Francine is fine."

Francine, my mother. I never told anyone about my mother, or her name. I told him so and his eyes flashed for a second, then he continued smoothly, "You talk in your sleep."

"No I don't. And I didn't even dream about her."

"How would you know? You were asleep."

I let my head fall, annoyed. I fell into an uneasy sleep; unable to shake off the feeling that Fang wasn't who he really seemed to be. And I somehow felt like I was just like him. I just didn't know what that was. Yet.


	7. Chapter 7

**Bloodless Death Chapter 7**

**To answer someone's question, they're staying at one of their houses. It's really Fang's but it's for the whole gang. He has quite a lot actually, which will soon be revealed when I, myself, figure out why. He he, anyway…**

**Disclaimer: Do I really have to go over this again.**

I felt considerably better the next day. My stomach felt terrible, my head hurt, it was hard to move. A big step up from yesterday. Fang wouldn't answer any of my questions about the poison except that the Erasers made them, and they were bad news. And, you know, the whole bullet/ drop dead thing. So, therefore, I was angry, more so than I normally was with him.

"Hey, at least your glare is improving," he'd said. That was about an hour ago. Now I was being forced to watch a horror movie with him – or on him- that was seriously a made me have a major concern for my sanity. I think it was some sort of knife thing.

"Why do you watch this?" I whispered crackly, biting my nail.

"Why are you scared of it?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows as he sipped his beer, calmly watching a girl die by having her stomach ripped out.

"Well, that's not a very fun thing to watch. And, I'm pretty sure that he's probably a little young, don't you think?" I pointed to the little boy who was sitting in James' lap. He looked up when he noticed me pointing at him and then looked up at the TV screen.

"Blood! Blood!" He looked up at James, smiling.

"Very good," James said, smiling approvingly at him.

I looked at Fang and he laughed.

I snatched a plate of food away from him and began to scarf it down, realizing how hungry I was. Fang took it back and ate the last bite of some sort of food that I couldn't pronounce the name of. It was some sort of French thing. Were gang member rich? I guess they, like, robbed places or something? How did they even all get to eat enough? Or, maybe they just robbed restaurants. I tried to imagine myself lying face down in McDonald's whilst someone held a gun to the chef's head, forcing him to make a hamburger. I didn't really see it.

I jumped when a knife went through some blonde's head as she ran up the stairs instead of being smart and running out the front door. _Or_, I thought, squinting my eyebrows together, _she could have just punched his face in. _

I AM FANG.

What the heck? I was turning into some sort of delinquent and all that had happened to me consisted of: breaking my ribs, which had begun to hurt very badly if I may add, and getting shot. Now I was thinking about _punching_ someone. I didn't do that. That wasn't what I did. I couldn't even get a volleyball over the net without practically committing suicide- long story. But that was and is totally beside the point.

"Pay attention. This part's good," Fang whispered to me.

I looked up and saw another blonde-haired bimbo standing there screaming at the top of her shrilly voice. I realized that this was the beginning of another movie.

"Kind of an appropriate name, don't you think?" James asked no one in particular.

"Eh," Fang acknowledged.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" the little boy yelled, copying the blonde girl on the screen as her boyfriend was "gutted". _**{Cool, right? 8D} **_Why couldn't I've watched the flat screen when I was, practically, "gutted"?

"Ah, the making of a new generation," James mused, smiling as if he had accomplished something, patting the boy on the back.

"Ha-ha, look at her eyes!" Fang pointed, laughing as a mother fell to the ground as she noticed her daughter's throat cut out. She was hanging from a tree, her eyes still open. _**{Okay, fifty… 'YAY'S' to whoever can guess what movie this is!} **_

I sighed. What is up with these people?

"Yo, Fang," someone called out as they hurriedly barged into the room.

"What?" he said annoyed.

"'Erasers, man. Alice thinks they're planning something at… Richard's. At some sort of party he's hosting. He knows where we're at again."

"What?" I questioned.

"What are they doing?" Fang asked.

"Alice said it looked like a Raid. You know they want her-" he pointed at me "- and they're not gonna stop 'til they get her. But Alice's freaked, man. You wanna go see him when it happens?"

Fang thought for a moment. "How many Erasers were there?"

"'Round fifty."

"Right," Fang said, "We'll go. I want Runners though. Lots of 'em. Get the best."

The man nodded and left.

"Man, this bites," James said.

"Let's go get you ready, Max. Your first Raid..." Fang mused.

James giggled in delight and told the little boy to leave.

"I don't get this. At all. _What_ is a Runner?"

"Eh, you'll find out soon enough, considering you are one."

"What-"

Fang picked me up and set me on the ground.

"Where are you-"

"The mall."

"For what?"

"A dress."

"What? Why?"

Fang sighed and didn't answer.

I felt my hair. It was knotted and frizzy. My stomach hurt and I was getting a head rush. I couldn't go anywhere like this.

"Fang, I can't-"

James came up behind me and put his hand on my neck. Spots clouded my vision, my eyes were watery, my hair felt like it was being pulled out, and my stomach felt… cool. Before it had been hot and throbbing, now it was soothed and I felt relaxed. Then he took his hand off my neck.

My hand immediately went to my head, and my hair was smooth and silky.

I let out a breath. "What-"

"Okay," Fang said, ignoring me, "put this on."

He handed me clothes and he and James left the room, leaving me more confused than ever.

**Okay, I feel thoroughly embarrassed-not really- at how much this chapter sucks. But, I am sorry that the last part was confusing the first time I posted it, therefore, I changed it. It's just a filler but I needed it for my story.**

**I hope it's a little more understandable now?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, guys! Sorry about the confusion in the last chapter. It's fixed now, though, but if you would rather just have me explain it now, then good, because that's what I'm doing.**

**Basically, Alice has visions (I sooo did not notice the Twilight similarity there. And I hate Twilight!) and she saw them at a rich person's banquet, dinner, party thing, whatever… and basically the Erasers have come to find said rich person- Richard (you'll find more about him later)- and he knows everything about Fang and his gang. Everything. You'll get what I mean by that later.**

**And, as for what a "Runner" and a "Fighter" is… you'll find out soon enough.**

**Okies, to the one who got the movie right: ALEXY RAE! Who is, also, lazy. Thank God there are still people like me in the world. But as your prize: "Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!**

**Disclaimer: Do we **_**really**_** have to go over this again?**

**Chapter 8**

"No!" I yelled through the dressing room door, "I am _not_ wearing this Barbie… _dress_." I shivered. I was actually wearing a dress. I felt like… like… a girl. I mean, _ewe_.

"Actually," Fang began, "if I like it, you are. Get out here."

It was obvious he wasn't playing and I couldn't live my life in the dressing room of this stupid store. I gulped and stepped out, feeling even more out of place with the way my ribs felt locked inside the tightness of what felt like a strait jacket. James whistled, attracting the attention of a freakish, old man who eyed me up and down before pretending to read the newspaper as he kept one eye on my very exposed chest. My eyes widened and I stepped back inside the cubicle, Fang following me close behind.

"Pedophile," I heard James say in a mocking, sing-song voice from outside the door.

Fang smirked as he looked at me. "It's hot."

I gulped. I had absolutely no idea what to say and it made me feel even more stupid because of how I was so out of place with this thing on. But, 'thanks' didn't seem exactly in order. I stared at him. "… Thanks?"

He snickered slightly and told me to turn around. I did so.

"Hmmm…." He ran his fingers over the top half of my back, which was uncomfortably exposed, and then he slowly led them back up to splay on my neck, and he reached around to my throat, which felt too tight, and he pulled me into him. I made a noise in my throat, which may have been an attempt to clear it, but it sounded like a cat choking on a rat. He brought his head around so his cheek was resting gently but intimidatingly against mine. His skin was soft. "He's a freak, but the old man has his eye right on the prize…ez."

Yep, there was the rat-suffocating-cat thing again.

He turned me around and lifted me up so we were face to face and my back was against the wall. He put his head on my upper chest, with his head facing to my left, and he lifted up the price tag. He whistled. "Four hundred. We're getting it. Get dressed, we have to go." Then he set me down and walked out, knocking over James, who had had his ear up to the door, in the process. I caught sight of the scary old guy and was then faced with the door. I slowly struggled to reach behind me to pull the zipper down. It took a moment to fight with the pain in my ribs but I won over myself, of course, and pulled the overly expensive thing down. Then I pulled it off me and looked at the satin red material. I ran my slender fingers over it. I had never spent anything over twenty dollars on any sort of clothing because we couldn't afford to spend that much, but now, I was going to have the expensive dress that a celebrity would but to wear one time. Except, you know, theirs would be thousands of dollars.

I put on the clothes Fang had made me wear, subconsciously checked my hair, and stepped out.

Fang bought it with a credit card. What sort of _gang_ leader has a freaking credit card? What sort of _gang_ _leader_ has a freaking credit card? What sort of-

Okay, you get it, but, what sort of gang leader has a freaking credit card?

I don't have a credit card. Hey, I don't even have money. Neither does my mother, but at least I work so we can pay the bills… most of the time.

We stepped out of the store and I subtly stepped behind Fang and to his right, which, oh so conveniently, was the exact opposite of the weirdo man, who now had a buddy trying to look too.

"Scared, Maxi?" Fang asked as soon as we were out of sight. "I wouldn't let 'em hurt you, you know?"

"Huh," I said, oh so conversationally.

"Mhmm. That's right. And, besides, being scared doesn't necessarily make you _weak_, just sort of a damsel in distress. I would be your knight but, I don't need any armor."

"Yeah," James said, "but only if you can deal with no-good showoffs." He was punched in his stomach, hard. "Hey, man, come on. Just informing the little lady! You should see him in battle mode. He's like, a suma wrestler or- ah!"

As he struggled to get out of his wedgie… predicament… I noticed Fang looking at me. Smiling beautifully, his teeth straight and white, his shoulders wide and big, his frame tall and large but slender, like a football player. Except he was majorly, majorly, close to me. No one got close to me like this. Especially not some sort of popular person.

"You know, I do fight well, but only for people I want to save." He pushed James to the ground who was _laughing _hysterically.

"Okay," he said from the ground, "more cheese, please. This is getting entertaining."

Fang pulled out his IPhone and sent a text to someone and within a minute, a black Corvette sped into the parking lot. Please, as you make a picture of this in your mind, really stress the word 'sped'.

James got in the front and Fang glared at him but lifted me easily, so I didn't have to climb into the back, as doors didn't seem to exist to these people, and stepped in after me, and we were gone. Like, way gone. Way too fast, too. I didn't like it. At all. When the car turned, I used that to my advantage to lean into Fang and I stayed there, but only because he held me there. I held him back. He held me tight, carefully avoiding my ribs and I looked at him. His eyes were big and black, and somehow the soothing tone his face played like a sweet melody made him look innocent and caring. For a moment, I wondered if that was who he really was. Then I was back in a car being thrown around like a rat at a cat's mercy, unless you know, said cat wasn't being suffocated, but you get my point.

I sighed. This couldn't be any weirder. Unfortunately, and fortunately, I was about to find out that I was so, so wrong.

**So, short I know, but the next chapter will be a lot longer and a lot more interesting. This was kind of a filler too. What? I'm not J.K Rowling, you guys. **

**So, tell me the thoughts of your minds. You know you want to. And that review button look so much like Fang doesn't it?**

**Maybe if you all just pressed it…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Serenaisbestezrq387- I'll try but I can update sooner this way!**

**1235-Thx!**

**XxDDxX- Yay! Thank you!**

**Raviolli101- He-he, yeah… **

**1234- =D**

**Jace'n' FangLover- Yay! I think you've reviewed for every story I've ever written. ILY!**

**Darklight Dragons- I'm working on it!**

**JealousMindsThinkAlike- Thank you! I think you've reviewed for every story of mine, too. ILY2!**

**TheCatWithBrownEyes- I came up with it by just sitting around and imagining something I would like to see in a movie or something. That's basically my outline. Like I imagine a movie- that isn't real, one in my head- and then put it into words. 0_0**

**Whocares1313-…*snickers***

**Maximum Ride 4ever- Well of course it's not Fang! I have him right here with me, so if you review again… I'll give you Iggy. He-he…**

**RachiePoo- **

**1. I know he's sweet and tough at the same time. I like it too. *awestruck***

**2. Um… He really wasn't supposed to be Gazzy but, now that that's in my mind… yeah.**

**3. Not a baby, a toddler. Oh, these people aren't saints. They're gang members. There's a little 3 letter word that rhymes with 'hex', normally taught in school to middle school and up. You'll find out who he belongs to later…**

**4. Yes, James is "Iggy".**

**5. It's coming, it's coming. There's a major thing that has to do with this party. This chapter. I just had to build up to it.**

**6. Because they don't always die. They knew what to do and how to do it immediately to get it out. It's happened to Fang too. And you know, main character dying won't make the story work too well. He-he…**

**7. Like I said before, Max thinks that her mom probably thought that she ran away, and Fang knew her name and that she was doing well, which I hoped led you to believe that her mom knows something about this. And, Dylan's not dead… 0_0**

**8. Don't mock your name? *Mocks, mocks, mocks, mocks.* Ha-ha, I mocked your name.**

Fang's grey tie flew in the wind above his shoulder as we sped down the dirt road in the Corvette. James' blonde hair was blowing about, his red shirt making his red lips stand out on his pale face. After pulling into civilization we turned the opposite way my apartment building was, instead toward the nice part of town, and I was relieved and disappointed.

We pulled into a parking lot. The place looked like some sort of restaurant, with tables and pure white table cloths. A gigantic chandelier was in the middle of the arched ceiling, and French doors leading into the elegant, spotless room seemed like a grand entrance to a ball. The room was filled with older people, all dressed to their finest ability. In the back I saw a man, about Fang's height, with the same eyes and posture. I suppose he felt my eyes on him, because he looked up and stared at me, his face emotionless. He stared at Fang for a long while before turning back to his guests and laughing at something someone had said. I knew he hadn't heard it.

"Who is that?" I asked Fang.

"Richard," he replied curtly.

I didn't reply, instead looking at the food on the table. "What's that," I asked, pointing to something that looked like uncooked insides.

A small hint of a smile appeared. "Caviar."

My eyebrows squinted for a moment. "Like, fish eggs?"

He snickered a little. "Yeah, like fish eggs."

James walked over to the table and came back after grabbing something next to the eggs. He held it out to me as Fang gave him a warning look. "Try this."

"What is it?"

Fang looked at me, his eyebrows raise in a 'you've been warned' manner. I took the stuff, smelling it and then taking a small bite. "Mm!" That stuff was good. I shoved the rest in my mouth and asked, with small food bits flying from my mouth as I spoke, "Wha' is it?"

"Goose liver," James told me. It fell from my open mouth with a glopping sound.

"What?" I looked to Fang and he shrugged. He grabbed my shoulder and guided me over to Richard.

"Nicholas."

"Richard."

The man turned to look at me.

"That's Max," Fang said before I could talk.

"Hmm," he grunted. "We have important business to attend to, Nicholas. If you are bringing… _guests_ into the room, I do sincerely hope you are vividly aware of what happens to… tattle-tails?" A smile was on his face and I didn't like it.

"Of course, sir."

"Very well then." Richard turned, leaving a splash of arrogance to hit us in the face as he briskly walked into a back room. We followed silently.

All respect Fang had shown him before was gone as soon as the door closed. "Are you crazy? Erasers are coming, you know? You'd just give me up like that? To _them_?"

"Oh, pish-posh, you silly fool! I've never in my life done you any harm."

"What?" Fang asked icily. "After Emily you're going to tell me that-"

Screams pierced the air, crashes were heard. Richard ran to the door and swung it open.

Thin, small people like me, were running at the intruders, not fighting them, just hitting, or stabbing, or kicking as they went, while big people like Fang followed them, taking down the ones that had been injured.

"Wh- what…"

Fang cussed loudly and grabbed me and shoved me under a table and I stayed there, wincing as people fought just outside the long table cloth. Everyone's screams gradually died down, as they had all fled the building but the gangs were still fighting.

I yelped as a piercing, whistling sound erupted next to me and a bullet found its way into the table. I gasped. A white, deadly looking liquid oozed slowly and venomously out of the tip of it, turning a disgusting green color as it went. I peeked through the hole it had made only to come face to face with the scariest looking man I had ever seen.

"Well, hello, there," he said gently, lifting up the table cloth, "I'm Victor. What's your name?" He roughly grabbed my hair and pulled me out by it. I whimpered as he put a gun to my head. "Now, now, stay quiet or I'll just have to-"

He was suddenly gone, tackled to the ground by James who had a murderous look in his eyes. Fang came around to get to me but was tackled by someone. I quickly glanced back at James to see the man reaching for the gun, fighting with James to get to it. Not thinking at all, I ran over and scooped it up. Distracted by our victory, James was unaware when the dude's fist, no smaller than the width of my neck, went flying into his face. He was tossed over, like he weighed nothing, with the force and the giant straddled him, enclosing his neck in a brace of deadly strong muscles. He was turning blue and I picked up my hands, trying to figure out where the trigger on that thing was. I found it, not knowing how to aim, praying to God that I wasn't somehow pointing the wrong way and didn't blow mine or James' face off, I pulled it. It shocked me, the sound, and I hurt my wrist, not having held it right. The sound deafened my ears for a moment, but the man dropped like dead weight, blood oozing from a whole under his eye, along with the white-green liquid. I tripped, and fell into a table, the glass vase cutting into my arm like a knife. I held it for a moment, staring at the piece lodged in it. I got up and I hurried to James, going to try to attempt to get the man off so his weight alone didn't kill James.

He did all the work mainly, even though I had put all of my 110 pound weight into trying to pull up his beefy hand, which was longer than my head, if I may add.

"Whoa," he panted, "nice aim for a new comer."

"I was aiming for his chest," I admitted.

He smiled. "Don't doubt it."

Then he casually walked over to where Fang was battling with a gigantic freak who was trying to put a knife in Fang's throat. James grabbed his neck, and with an eerie, cracking sound, his neck broke, and he fell to the floor.

Fang let out a breath. "Thanks, man."

"Don't thank me; thank little Ms. Hot Shot over here. She landed a face full of metal right in the dude's face." He pointed to the man I had… killed. I gulped.

Fang smirked. "Nice."

I shrugged. I guess this was, like, the gang norm or whatever, right?

Fang stepped forward and gently took my wrist and turned it over.

"You're hurt," he said softly, staring into my wide eyes.

"S-so are you," I said, staring at the cut on his cheek.

His eyes softened even more. "I'll be fine," he said calmly. I wasn't as freaked anymore. I really wasn't that worried about killing someone as I thought I would be, or like they always are in books. The only thing I thought of was that I had save someone's life. Then why was I so afraid? The fact that I had almost had a bullet lodged in my head?

"When we get home, I'll fix it up for you." He smiled softly.

I nodded.

"Fang, Richard's gone with them."

Fang swore. "Tell the rest were out of here."

"To where?"

"Off the grid."

"On it."

"Where're we going?"

"Ever been camping before, Max?"

"Um…"

And then, he gently placed his hand on my neck and everything went black, but when it was light again, I remembered nothing.

LINE

My eyes opened wearily. "What?"

"Hey," Fang said. "You passed out at the party. We've been traveling for hours."

We were in the woods. "What? Really?"

My hair felt like I had been going three hundred miles through the air. Yeah, like people can fly. **{Couldn't resist ;)} **

"Yeah."

"Where's your… gang?"

"There are different groups of people in circles around us."

"How long have we been here?"

"Hour. Maybe two."

"Oh."

He lied down, pulling me closer and settling me down next to him, and then he sat up again. He pulled my wrist to his face.

"I needed to wait until you were awake to do this," he explained.

"Why?"

"It's the way your blood works, it… I'll explain later." He sighed.

He gently pried the thick glass out of my wrist and I almost fainted at the blood. My knees started to tingle and I felt like I would start gagging any moment.

He smiled. "Look at the stars. You like stars, right?"

"Yeah… How did you know that?"

"Lucky guess."

He finished with it and pushed some excess blood out and set it down next to me and then lay next to me. The air outside was cold. Fang was unnaturally warm and I scooted closer, inhaling his scent.

LINE

I gasped. All I had just seen was blood. A nightmare, but it had seemed so real. Fang was sleeping next to me, as was everyone else. The fire was burning to embers and I heard a snapping sound. I looked around, my breath stopping. What if they were here? Maybe they knew it was me that had killed-

"They're not here, you know?" Fang asked me quietly, stopping my breath again. "It's just a rookie."

I was about to ask what the heck that meant, when I saw a blonde headed boy that looked like he was eleven, doing rounds around our group with a machine gun.

He walked the other way after a moment, making some sort of signal with his hands to a man in front of him.

Oh, a new guy or whatever. Okay…

"The Big Dipper," Fang showed me, pointing up to the night sky. I didn't see it, but I didn't want to look like an idiot.

"Cool," I whispered.

"Yeah, it is," Fang said, pulling me closer.

"You're warm," he told me.

"You're warm."

He smiled and I think I almost fainted.

"Thank you, Fang," I said. I didn't know what I was thanking him for. Saving my life? Buying me a dress? Carrying me for hours? Pulling a piece of glass out of my wrist? Getting me drunk? _Kidnapping_ me? To be honest I was kind of thankful for all of it.

"You're welcome."

**Review or die. I made a long chapter and my hands feel weird. This is your fault. 0_0**


	10. Chapter 10

**Bloodless Death Chapter Ten**

**Okay, guys, I'm answering everyone's questions and leaving the ones that just said, "Great, awesome, etc…" But thanks anyway!**

**Okay…**

**Crazygirl- Soon… ish…**

**RachiePoo- Lay off it? I'm lying on it. Am I going to lie off soon? Nah…**

**Jezebel9991- Maybe you should keep reading it then.**

**SilverStar121- Yeppers.**

**Raviolli101- um, number 1: Only idiots do that. 2. Soon…ish… it will become inevitable, if you know what I mean. )**

**XxDDxX- Because he's Fang and you know, something is obviously being hidden from her. Yeah, Erasers were at the party. Um, who's Richard? He's, I guess you could say… kind of "blackmailing" Fang, in a way. And I hoped that Richard looking like Fang led you to believe that he was Fang's dad…**

**And I kind of made him rude, so I hoped that made him sound mean and I've updated soon…ish… right?**

**Jace'n'FangLover- Basically he knocked her out and with powers and she doesn't remember him doing that. And he told her that she passed out, so… **

**And he has power**_**s**_** ;)**

**LyricLingo- Um, they are really, freakishly strong, and he basically just went up pulled his head up and out, I guess… I just kind of… whatever….**

**And for the love of mankind, I beg of you not to try it. **

**0_0**

**LINE**

Waking up felt like unwrapping myself from those freakish wraps they put mummies in. I mean, ewe. It also felt like I had been in there for 80,000 years. And Fang hadn't even let me get decent sleeping hours in yet! He just picked me up and put me on my feet and left me to collapse. That sentence would have been so much less dramatic if I had actually collapsed, but _that_ is completely beside the point.

"Here." James shoved a gigantic plate of food into my hands.

"What… How do you have food in the middle of the woods?" In my head, I added, _I barely get this much in a day._

"What can I say? The ladies, especially experienced ones, like men who can cook. It's apparently a "good value" or some sort of thing like that." He rolled his eyes. "Well, eat it!" As he walked away he chanted, "Let's go, let's go, let's go, people! Aw, I see you had to stay up all night, newbie. You're gonna play with the big boys, act like one!

"Hey, you. Yeah, you, why's the kid hanging in the tree…." I saw him pointing and yelling at someone who was laughing hysterically at the boy hanging from his tearing boxers.

I took a deep breath and turned to come face to face with Fang. It was very unfortunate that I hadn't realized how full my mouth was and couldn't even close it. I giggled nervously through the barrier of food, a tough feat, and it sounded like the rat in the cat again. See? I'm a genius, just unknown. Get it? _Cat in the Hat_… rat in the cat…? Oh, never mind, but back to the situation with Fang. I managed to swallow most of it without chewing it, figuring I would die of suffocation anyway. Because Fang was shirtless. As in, like, no shirt; as in, like, abs; as in, like, me suffocating. Again.

I gulped. "Hi," I said wearily.

"Hey," he panted. I almost fainted. He stared at me with his eyebrows raised, a small smile on his face. He seemed to be in a genuinely good mood today. He pulled a shirt on.

"Where've you been?"

"Lake. Good for fishing." He looked at my food. "Good, you're, uh, pretty hungry today then. That's a good sign. How's your stomach?"

"Full."

He smirked. "Nice." He walked away.

I didn't actually get the full effect of being an idiot until I had realized that he had meant the _bullet_ _wound_. Oops. But, abs…

"Oh, my," I whispered, and then, of course, finished my food. No point in dreaming when you have Heaven right in front of you. But then the heavenly food was gone, so I went in search of Fang.

"We need to move out. James, you need to tell everyone." They stared at each other for a moment, like they were having some sort of unspoken conversation. And then, people started coming up to us in the middle group.

I started, "Wait, you didn't even tell-"

"Alright," Fang said loudly, "everyone have a good head count?"

The oldest from every group nodded. "Good. Let's go."

And we were off.

LINE

It had been hours of just walking and I was pretty sure that everyone had come up to Fang, angry or nervous, asking if we could use "The faster way". I had no idea what that meant, didn't really care. No one was tired except for me and Fang decided it would be easier if I didn't pass out, apparently, because he stopped everyone.

I drank down water while everyone groaned and complained.

"We're almost there, ladies! Chill out," James told to everyone.

They all started yelling at him and complaining, and no one noticed the black mob forming, as far away as I could see. I stared at it, entranced, and it got closer and closer. It looked like…

I screamed. What would you do if gigantic werewolves were coming at you with spears and swords?

Fang cussed and James' eyes widened. There had to be hundreds, dare I say it, a thousand maybe. James looked at Fang over the screaming, and they had another agreement in their head or something, and Fang yelled, "Retreat! Go, go, go!"

Fang picked me up. "Just hold on tight," he whispered.

"What-"

And everything was a blur. The trees, the grass, the black… things….

"Eh," I gasped. "What-"

I think I tried to scream but I couldn't manage it, or I just couldn't hear it because it was lost in the air, in which we were flying through at hundreds of miles an hour.

**Soooo? How it be? I know it's short but I'll put up another one tomorrow. And, hye, I know I lied about the review button. It's not Fang. I have him here with me so, if you review, good or bad, I'll give you Iggy… he-he…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, guys! I wanted to know, did any of you read my story **_**Tap**_**? If you did, go back and review it. It's about Max and Fang when they were little. It has tiny Fax… **

**Plus, I made a poll. It's on my profile. Vote on it. Now.**

**Disclaimer: Really? Are you really **_**that**_** stupid?**

**Bloodless Death Chapter Eleven **

Fang… _landed_ a little roughly, with me shivering in his arms. He set me down gently, as if I would break. I probably would have. Everyone else also landed as if this was normal, but some came running from the ground, so fast that they were barely a blur that my brain could register. Fang ordered them to get into their groups so that they could make a proper head count, but I wasn't listening.

My arms wrapped around myself and I took in a deep breath with difficulty. My mind was racing. What was he? What were all these people? What was… it?

James walked up to me slowly and I stepped away quickly, half of my self-conscience wanting to run. "You're okay." He stepped closer, and I backed into a tree by accident. It was very unfortunate for me, at that moment, that the tree was actually Fang. I wheezed as if I had just been hit by an oncoming bull dozer. Fang slowly turned me around. He had that calm look again, and I felt afraid.

"Remember when I told you about the bullet, Max? How it only affects certain kinds of people? That's why we had to come get you like we did. You're… special. Just like us."

"Well," James started, "the ladies tell me I'm even more special than Fang, but…"

"You…" I pointed back and forth at the both of them, as if I would magically put all the pieces together.

I felt like crying. Or running. Or both, actually.

"_What?"_

"Look, let me show you-" he took a step forward, "- and you'll understand what I mean-"

"No!"

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me close to him, and he jumped in the air, and enormous black wings sprouted from his back and took us higher, and higher, and-

"Stop!" I screamed. I wanted to fight him but plummeting to my death was the main reason I was fighting him, so…

I settled to hold onto him like a life line.

He turned me around so that my back was to his stomach and we were off. I would have been having a good time. But it was too fast, too stomach hurtling, too scary.

He landed inside of a cave. "Richard is my father."

"…Um… I-I"

"He's working for the School, which is the facility that did this to us-" he spread out his wings and I gulped "-and he was a part of it. He knows how much we cherish our freedom and he agreed that if, if we do what he says, then it'll stay this way. Where we're all free. But it's a problem with you here, because the School wants you, and so do we."

"So those things… came… for me?" I asked squeakily.

"Yeah."

"So your dad wants you to do whatever he says? What does he make you do?"

"Kill people. But we're trying to destroy the School without him knowing. No School, and there'll be no need to run from him, and no need to be around him and do what he says. And we need you for that, Max."

"What? Why?"

"I need someone to be able to know where I am at all times."

"-I can't-"

"And you need someone to protect you at all times. We're the two biggest experiments that the School wants, and if we're together we have enough powers to take them out."

"…How do we do that?"

"Firstly, you're not an experiment yet. For your sake I hope we keep it that way. But mainly, like this." And he leaned down, and he kissed me. Just a peck, just a brush, but it was a kiss. "Like this. When we're together. Just like this."

I gulped. I'm pretty sure I looked like a dying fish. I felt like one.

He flew us back, much to my dismay, and he landed gracefully.

It was nighttime.

"Go to bed." I listened to what he said and found a spot next to James. He had his hands behind his head, casually looking up at the stars. He was really… cute. And funny. But in a weird way. I didn't feel comfortable around him all the time. I didn't like him like that but he was really hot. He had my eyes even though they weren't the same color. The same face shape, the same nose, the same cheekbones. He looked a lot like me. So did the little boy that was resting by his side, snuggled up to him.

"He looks like you."

"A son normally looks like his father."

My eyes widened. "Oh."

"You okay?"

I shrugged and lie down, falling into a pit filled with uneasy sleep that would last the whole night.

**Ah, answers. I am so bored, guys. I love it when people PM me so… (I think that's a pretty self-explanatory sentence.)**

**I'm thinking about changing my PenName. I don't like it. It annoys me. Review or die.**

**Bye.**


	12. Chapter 12

… **I apologize to you guys. I was in New York and my nearly 14 year old self found a first kiss and love. 0_0 (Not really love but close enough because he's that hot). Anyway, then school started. My school is really small and only has 4 boys (who are pretty annoying and or psychotic except for 2) in my class (which is the ENTIRE 8****th**** grade) and my man (who SHAVES! 3) is in Alabama and I'm not. This is my queue to be depressed. **

**Disclaimer: I believe in the past and right above this I stated that I'm 14, just got my first kiss (it was wet =D), am 5 foot tall (and have grown a fourth of an inch since last year! Yay for tall people!), and am love sick. Not a middle-aged man named James. If you're still having problems with that, turn off your computer and check yourself into a mental hospital. Then continue reading my story.**

**Bloodless Death**

**Chapter 12**

"Max? Max wake up." Something softly brushed my shoulder.

I groaned. "Go kill yourself."

Something strong scooped me up and I squealed in surprise. Fang looked at me defiantly and set me down in front of James. He nodded his head toward the wood and began to walk. Fang was nowhere to be seen, so I followed James, like I supposed I was supposed to.

"I don't see why they can't just come here to get their own water when they want it," I said, annoyed, to James, handing him another bucket filled dangerously close to the brim with water from the ridiculously shallow stream.

"They can; I just need this to cook."

"I just need this to cook," I muttered quietly in mockery as I leant down again to get more water.

"Someone peed in your cornflakes or somethin', man."

"Well, maybe if it wasn't noon and I was _home_ and hadn't been _kidnapped_ by a _gang with freaking wings_, then maybe I would have actually had some breakfast for someone to pee in."

"Technically, you would have had some breakfast if you had woken up."

…_Had some breakfast if you had woken up,_ I mocked in my head.

He added, "Is this the wrong time of the month for you or something?"

My face flamed. "This is the wrong time of my life right now." He stared. "You know what? Just because Mother Nature is inconvenient doesn't mean everyone should know when it is."

I think he burst into tears of laughter at the same time my face burst into flames.

"Max!" Fang called through the woods, running up to James and me. He saw my face and James's face, both red for different reasons, and looked confused.

"Yeah, _what?"_

"Wow. Um, I need to show you something." I rolled my eyes at James and walked past, very cheesed off **(my teacher says that ;) he's a whacker but you gotta love him)**, and roughly shoved past Fang.

"Wait," James called, "How am I supposed to get all these buckets back?"

I smirked. "Carry them!"

"What- wait a minute! Fang! Fang, make her…"

"So," I said loudly, drowning out the sound of James' voice, "what did you need to show me?"

"Nothing."

"So, why-?"

"We have to leave soon. You and me."

"…Heh?"

"I have to start teaching you how to fight, how to handle situations."

"Or you could just, like, let me go back to my house…"

"I could, but I don't want to. You don't want to either."

"What-"

"We leave tonight. Be sure to get your…well, you don't have anything"- I made a face- "but be ready."

_Gee, if only I'd thought of that._

He began to walk away. "Wait! Where are we going-?"

And he was gone.

Nighttime approached quicker than expected. At dinner, Fang announced our departure. Most didn't seem surprised and others looked angry or fearful. James would be left in charge.

Fang gently touched my shoulder to awaken me from my bored state I was in from listening to his little speech. It was odd hearing him talk so much. I didn't really like it; he didn't either, I could tell.

I stood, lost in thought of how strong his arm was, and he was able to touch me so gently.

I worried about the Eraser/ werewolf things for a while, brushing up against Fang in a nervous state. Every stick that seemed to crack for no reason, the tiny noises that seemed loud in the quiet of the night- I hated it. Fang loved it apparently. He told me so, but I knew it was to distract me. Unfortunately, he talking about it in detail was not helping me take my mind off of it. Yeah, thanks, Fang.

I figured out what would take my mind off of it. I waited though.

I allowed him to fly us up into a cave on the side of a mountain.

We were lying next to each other and I could feel his body heat powerfully rolling off him, and gently settling onto me.

"How did you get your name?" I whispered.

His breath hitched. "I'll tell you later," he said quietly.

"How am I supposed to help you," I said after a while, "if I don't have any powers or… wings?"

"You'll get them," he said in a reassuring sort of way,

"How?"

"The School will take you and perform the tests needed to do the procedure."

"Fang?"

He stared me in the eye. "Yes?"

"Are they… nice… there?"

He didn't hesitate. "No."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"And they're for sure going to take me?"

He didn't sugar coat it. He didn't try to make it like it wasn't. "Yes."

I wasn't in the mood for anything anymore. I wanted to go back to being the girl who sat alone in the cafeteria. The girl who did people's homework for them just because. I wanted to be Max again.

But maybe that wasn't really Max.

Maybe I wanted to stay in a world with werewolves and wings.

Maybe I wanted to stay even though I knew I would be kidnapped and most likely tortued.

Maybe I wanted to stay and fight and be on the run and in a gang. Maybe I wanted to have friends.

Maybe Fang was right.

Maybe I wanted to stay just because of him.

**Kay, guys, I didn't read over this one- and you know how well that worked out last time. **

**But I have strep, I'm tired, ready to make out with my new love again and die.**

**Review or be murdered, but not by me because I'm tired.**

**Bye.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, guys, I'm back. Hi.**

**I'm really not going to run through everyone's reviews but just for the record: no, Fang is not actually taking Max to the School and no, I am not abandoning this story. **

**Disclaimer: Why do we even need these things? If you think I'm impersonating James Patterson go die. Just review this chapter first.**

**Bloodless Death Chapter 13**

Fang gently finished wrapping my arm with his shirt and I cradled it tenderly.

"Sorry I kind of, like, broke your arm in half."

"I know I've been doing this fighting crap for weeks, Fang, but I'm not some sort of super human."

"Yeah I got that."

"Gee, what a great time to realize it too. Thank you, Fang." I rolled my eyes.

"Still want to go get some food with me? You're aim is great."

I glared at him. "No. I'm not going."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Then why did you ask?"

"To make you think that you have a say."

"A huh," I said sarcastically.

He smiled gently, before letting it disappear into his tan skin. I wanted it back.

He lifted me and jumped. Just like that. I didn't like it very much. I couldn't control anything when he was flying. When I would have liked to go right, he went left. When I would've gone higher he went lower. When I wanted to go faster he slowed. I wondered what it would be like to have my own wings, to fly and be in control and on top of the world- literally. I guessed I would find out soon enough.

I couldn't figure out if I was anticipating it or dreading it. Now that I look back on it, what I was about to go through would definitely be a dread.

I spotted something black in the trees below. I called Fang's name and pointed, but I realized it as soon as he did. It wasn't something to eat- more of something that would eat _us_. He cussed loudly.

"You are _not_ ready." He cussed again.

I looked down at them all, teeth bared and dripping with saliva. Just that made my heart freeze, sending gushes of chilled blood through my body, tantalizingly icing my veins. No. no, I wasn't ready.

He pulled out a gun and began to shoot. They were special bullets I knew. But not like theirs. They were ours. They were poisonous, and specially made by the gang, I knew that they killed a lot quicker. They were a lot sharper too. We were doing pretty well, until a bullet pierced Fang's wing. The pure black feathers slowly turned red and he struggled to stay in the air.

He faltered, and he didn't stop himself even though he was trying. He groaned and when he spoke his voice was strained.

"Max… no matter what happens don't give up-"

"But- what-?"

"Don't fight them; it'll only make it worse-"

"Just fly-"

"We'll come for you soon." And his eyes shut, and the white-green liquid oozed out with blood, and my heart started beating faster, and we fell… and the last thing I saw was pure black orbs staring at me, full of promise, before both of our eyes shut at the same time, and everything was black.

And everything was light again. I was lying with my face up… toward a ceiling. A pure white ceiling. Lights passed and came again as I stared up, and around me I saw people dressed in white coats. Some held clipboards and pencils and another was carrying three syringes filled with different colored liquids. They were walking, pushing a hospital bed, which I was unfortunately strapped to.

I felt weak. Rubbery and weak. I could move, I just didn't want to. I made a sound in my throat, and in the process I learned that it hurt terribly.

"It's awake."

"She has a name." I looked over and my heart started beating fast and adrenaline started coursing through my veins. I didn't know why. I was still tired. I didn't even want to move. the only things that weren't white stared back at me and I found relief in the deep black orbs.

One of them actually laughed. "Does it?" the man asked clearly and loudly as if Fang was foreign.

Considering I'm sharing this story with all ages, I feel it inappropriate to repeat Fang's response.

The man blushed and the assistant burst out laughing and only tried to hide it when he was yelled at. His snickers and small noises of laughter followed us all the way until I turned… and Fang didn't.

I felt the adrenaline rush coming again. I looked around wildly and I gasped. What was wrong with me? This wasn't happening out of fear or… anything! It just happened

We arrived in a room and they strapped me to an operating table. A stand next to it was filled neatly with silver objects and operating things.

They hooked me up to a heart monitor and saw my heart beat, but it was slow again. I wanted it to be slow. And then I wanted it to be fast. And it was. It rapidly picked up speed and I felt adrenaline run through my body. I felt powerful. I wanted to fight, I wanted to shoot something. And then I felt like my heart needed to slow down, and it did. And I was perfectly content with lounging on an operating table in an operating room filled with whackers.

I could control my heart beat?

A doctor looking woman came around and grabbed a syringe filled with a pinkish-red liquid and gave stabbed me with it, easing it into my arm slowly. And everything was black.

Something was cradling me, slowly rocking back and forth. A voice slowly drifted to me. It was soft and perfect. I knew it was Fang. But what I wasn't sure about, was why he was humming. Fang… humming? Huh, I must have died or something.

My eyes opened slowly and I moaned. The humming immediately stopped. I was on another bed, in a cell. I was in Fang's lap though, my back to him and my head lolling all over his shoulder. He put his hand next to my face and held it still.

I liked how hot his neck felt against my cold skin.

I was in my right mind, I could tell, but I was still kind of… floating. My head felt… different. But I was there. I didn't feel drunk or out of it, just rather… high. But I was not happy. I was afraid and vulnerable. I didn't like it.

"Hey," he whispered softly.

I took in a deep breath and whimpered.

"My back hurts…" My voice was slightly slurred and high.

"I know. It'll get better."

I reached behind me and felt two long cuts. I could tell they had stitches in them, but the nerves still fluttered painfully.

He shifted and I gasped. He was leaving me, but in the back of my mind I knew I was only afraid because of the medicine. I still didn't let go.

"Shh."

I ended up heavily laying on top of him, breathing comfortably. And as the pain increased, so did the medicine.

"Wanna hear something cool?"

"Of course I do, Max."

I giggled. "I know… Wanna hear something cool?"

When he sighed I remembered asking this question about ten times before.

"I can control my heart beat… I'm, like, a ninja or something…."

He laughed gently.

"Of course you are. Can you fight as well as me?"

"Oh, yes," I answered quickly. "Better."

"Oh, man. You know, I taught you how to fight and now you're even better than me. That's not fair."

I laughed hysterically, and Fang laughed at me, and I laughed because I was very high at the moment, and he laughed at me again. It went on until we were both hysterical. Fang was laughing at me, and how could I not laugh at the way the wall was white?

Then I remember waking up again, except medication was not as handy as it had been before. At that moment, the last thing I remembered was passing out in an operating room. I was lying on top of Fang, and he watched me closely, knowingness in his eyes. I told him anyway.

"My back hurts," I whimpered, not remembering anything about telling him before.

"I know."

I felt tears leak into and out of my eyes. "No…" I begged. I shook my head and silently asked him for help. He moved me so I was on the bed, my back up and my face down. "No, no, no…"

"Don't worry, Max. When they did this to Fang he just screamed."

I jumped at the familiar voice that belonged to James. I wasn't in the mood to ask how he had gotten here. I decided not to join in on the laughter because, in reality, all I wanted to do was scream.

That's exactly what happened. I heard noises around me and I was moved… onto my back. I screamed again. I felt so tired, all I could do was cry. The doctor/scientist people crowded the bed and they wheeled me to the operating room. It was a different one than last time. I felt afraid and I wanted to fight and get out of there… and I wanted to fight.

And my heart sped up, and my breathing picked up, and a nurse who was about to stick me with a shot suddenly slowed down in my eyes. It was in slow motion, and my heart was too fast for everything to be in slow motion, so it had to stop. So the nurse was suddenly airborne, and then partially lodged into a wall. And my fist felt good when it connected to her flimsy, little body.

They had apparently activated the muscle strength. I breathed out gasps of relief. I felt like I had just given birth.

I was strapped down quickly and the scientists began giving me all sorts of shots and when they were done I was taken back to the cell where James and Fang were tensely seated. An Eraser, who had been called for protection, picked me up and threw me into the cell. I didn't feel like getting up. after lodging someone into the wall, I felt a little tired. That was alright, the dusty stone floor tasted nice.

Fang picked me up and dragged me to the bed.

"I, like, threw some idiot into a wall."

"Ah, the adrenaline rushes. Those always feel good. Wear out the newbies though, eh?"

"Mhmm," I moaned.

"They started everything."

"Okay." Wait… was he talking to me?

"Hey, we gotta get her out of here, when are-?"

"Now."

And bangs and screams and gunshots ensued. Fang picked me up and walked out of the cell. Who opened it?

Winged and mutinous freaks of my kind were walking around, shooting people and things of that nature.

I glanced up to see Fang's hand holding a gun, and he pulled the trigger, a bullet going somewhere.

His hurried pace was making me bounce in his arms, and I struggled to stay still and upright. He slowed, gently throwing me up a little, and he nestled me into him and I felt comfortable and safe. Then he pulled the trigger and blew someone's brains out. And then he started running, and we were falling. And I felt my heart speed up, and then we were rising up, and it felt good.

"Ah, this is the life!" James yelled over the wind.

"Hey, you thirsty?"

I wished to tell him to go and die, but I took the beer and downed it. I was now drunk.

"Wanna hear something cool?" I slurred.

**I don't want to hear anything cool except for reviews because I'm sick, still up at midnight writing a 2,000 word chapter for people I don't know. **

**I don't do that.**

**So review, thank me, like me, hate me. Whatever floats your boat. Anyway… I'm not reading over this one either so you better like it. It's probably rushed but that's okay. You know why?**

**Because the next chapters will be so much better now that the whole thing has started and**

**Because I said so.**

**Bye.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Bloodless Death Chapter Fourteen**

I was walking in a field filled with green, uncut grass. Different colored flowers speckled the hills and the lake full of crystal water looked almost as pretty as the blue sky.

And Fang was next to me.

He smiled, and his beautiful white teeth stood out prominently under his black eyes. He pulled me to him and suddenly, we were flying… but I was on my own.

I gasped, but he stayed close until I got used to it.

My wings were a dusty white color, like a dove's, and I soared through the air gently.

Our wings worked in different ways. For Fang, all he had to do was stroke and they automatically went back to his back, and he stayed airborne. If he wanted to turn, all he had to do was wait until his wings closed and just turn his body and soar through the air.

Mine were constantly flapping. If I wanted to change which way I was going I had to tilt them and keep flapping.

I tried to fly like him, but it hurt my wings. He smiled at me. "You're a natural." I smiled back at him and he flew closer. He was very much so in control of himself but I didn't know what to do. I was afraid I would fly into him, when he flew above me and reached his arms around my hips and stomach. "You're tired though. We should take a break. Are you thirsty?"

I leaned into him. What did he say again?

"Max? Max…"

Fang shook me. "Hey, wake up."

And I did. Thirty thousand feet above the air, James looking at me with knowingness in his eyes, and Fang holding actual water, not beer, in his hands, was me looking around in confusion. I wasn't flying. I wasn't in a field.

"…Heh?"

"Are you thirsty?"

I grabbed the water quickly and drank.

James said, "Hey, Max, wanna here something cool? Because I have this story about-"

I threw the water bottle at him, flipping him off in the process. His hand went to his face, which had almost had a water bottle lodged into it, and he fell behind us, diving down to retrieve the fallen can.

I cleared my throat and checked my nails. Fang had a small smirk on his face.

"So that was the School?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"That's… sucky."

"Yes, it's suckingly sucky," James said, not struggling at all to catch up to Fang. I realized we were flying slower than normal. My eyes immediately went to Fang's wing. In the middle of his left wing there was a white bandage that looked extra bright on the black feathers… except it was stained with blood.

"How's your wing?" I asked him.

"Strong, has a hole in it; bloody… has a hole in it…. The norm."

"Ah."

We flew for a little bit, and it didn't take me long to get uncomfortable. "We're almost there."

"My back hurts again. And I feel sore."

"I know. It's the bones changing. They'll hollow out so you can fly better. What they gave you eats away the inside and strengthens the outside. It'll feel really good once it's done with."

I processed this for a moment. "How long does the pain last?"

He swallowed and I watched his Adam's apple. "It hasn't started yet, but once it does… about 10 or 12 hours."

It hadn't started? I was pretty sure it had.

"Hold on," he warned gently. He waited a moment, for the right time, and then we were falling at, like, 9,000 mph. I was not a happy camper. But talk about a surprise landing. I had barely gathered my senses when I realized we were walking. I could've walked. Fang still held me, though, and I wasn't stopping him.

And there we were, at another mansion. Fang glided in like he owned the place, but then again, it was probably easy to do since he did own it.

It was probably ten in the morning when we arrived, and it wasn't until Fang walked through the pure white French doors into a room with a gigantic bed with red and gold coverings and deep white tile flooring that I realized how tired I was. So when he set me on the bed, I opened my eyes to find it four in the afternoon.

Fang walked out of the master bathroom, showing off his abs to awestruck onlookers (AKA: moi), and a white and green toothbrush in his mouth.

He nodded when he saw me awake and held up a finger before going back into the bathroom. I heard him rummaging around and he came back out with bandages and such in his hands. I liked how the white looked against his skin.

He threw the stuff on the bed before plopping down himself, bouncing up and down lightly as he turned to me.

"You remember how to clean wounds like I taught you, right?"

I stared at him blankly and he stared back.

"…Wanna here something _really_ cool?"

He sighed. "Okay, take the bandage off."

I scooted up to his wing, prying off the bandage, wincing every time I pulled on his feather. He just yawned.

I finally pulled it off. The tape had small black particles from his feathers on it, and the bandage had dried blood all over it, along with a small, new gooey pool of it right in the middle. I looked at his wing and noticed how… raw it looked.

"Remember how to mix it?" he asked, referring to their own way of doing it. He didn't wait for an answer. "Take the baking soda"- I picked it up- "and put it in the bowl with water." I did so. He instructed me on how much of their freakish, self- made mutant liquids to put in. I did so, until it was the right color-white- and gently rubbed the paste on with my hand. He didn't wince; there was no dramatic, sharp intake of breath, but I felt the broken muscles flutter and tense under my hand.

"Sorry," I said quietly.

"It's alright." He matched my tone perfectly. It was quiet after that.

"You know, they performed the surgery- for your wings."

"Yeah… I figured that's what the slits in my back were for…." I hadn't really thought about it and my heart twisted as I really heard what he said.

I grabbed a bandage and folded it into the right size and put some of the paste on it before gently fastening it onto his wing.

"You're already as strong as us though. You can fight now. No more 'in half' arms when I grab it." He smiled.

"Oh yeah…. Oh yeah." I looked to my arm. Not even a scar was there.

"They fixed it during the surgery. I would've fixed it but I didn't have any mending stuff."

"You can mend bones?" I asked incredulously.

"What can't I do?" He stared at me cockily.

_Kiss me right…_ I thought.

"Um, I'm pretty sure there are quite a lot of things."  
>"Like?"<p>

"Like… that thing… that you… can't do… and- You know what?" I glared at his laughing form and pushed him off the bed.

He groaned. I looked over at him as he clutched his wing.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, I-"

And he pulled me off the bed with him and smirked at me. "I'm pretty sure that there isn't anything I can't do, Max. I can even read your mind," he told me matter-of-factly as he pinned me down. I almost burst out laughing.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" I giggled. He smiled at me and leaned down closer as my laughter died down.

"Maybe so," he said softly, "but there is one other thing you need to know about me."

I was half expecting some sort of joke, but I stared back into his eyes and seriously whispered, "What?"

He swallowed and put his face right next to mine. "I can _definitely_ kiss you right."

And that's exactly what he did.

**Ah, love and wings are blooming. It's beautiful, isn't it? Good. **

**Now review or die.**


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15 BLOODLESS DEATH**

**Greetings, fellow fanfictioners and people I don't know. I apologize for my absence and I should probably explain. Too bad I won't. Here's the chapter.**

**Imagine one of those line thingies here.**

I wasn't sure if I wanted to avoid Fang like the plague or follow him around like I was glued to him. I also wasn't sure if I was angry at him for effectively knocking me out when the pain started in my back and the first nubs of my….wings… came out, or pleased with him for rubbing my sweaty face with a wet, soft cloth as we waited for James to bring us eggs, toast, and, inward squeal, bacon. With syrup, of course.

So there I sat, next to Fang on a bed big enough to park two cars (okay, maybe I was exaggerating a bit, but after living in a run-down 'apartment' where there was most likely fleas having a fiesta in your hair, a nice bed was a big step) and I kept acting like a twelve year old girl sitting next to the hottest guy in school. Thoughts bombarded my mind. I was eating too fast, probably looking like a seizuring monkey of some sort. My hair was undoubtedly sweaty and gross looking, and while the soft rag had felt good before, I felt my face drying and sticky. Not to mention the fact that I felt like I had just given birth. I sighed and then stopped. I didn't need to sound like I had just given birth either.

Maybe he wouldn't mind, though. He was always so gentle and sweet, but still gave the affect that he would unashamedly make a little school girl pee herself and run away to her mama. I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye and wondered why and then I remembered that he could-

_Mother of the living Christ in Heaven up high._

He was listening to everything I was thinking!

I fumed, inwardly at first, unable to help the redness inside me as it came from in me to paint my cheeks and burn them, undoubtedly forever.

"Oh," I grumbled, yet it sounded more like a whine. I set my food down and stormed out of the room, unable to keep quiet as I seethed when he chuckled quietly and picked up my plate and began eating it too.

I slammed the door, not caring about the death threats and curses of gang members yelling to shut up so they could get their beauty sleep.

Ha-ha, yeah, beauty sleep my a-

"What _are_ you doing?" James asked me.

He stepped out of my way before I ran him over, but instead turned to follow me. I said nothing.

I limped down the stairs, trudged over to the door, pissed when it didn't open. I punched it and felt it shake from the impact, but it stilled. I turned to glare, feeling effects of PMS taking over.

"What are you laughin' at?" I growled, pushing him, but it only knocked him sideways a little as he stepped closer and unlocked the door slowly. Oh. I felt my cheeks burn again, or had it ever stopped?

I spun on my heel, hiding my wince, and, unsure of what the heck I was doing, walked out the door.

For a while, I had it in my head that I was going to walk home, after, of course, I walked thirty miles down the dirt road and found out what state I was in. Then I stopped. I didn't want to go home. My mother hated me and I missed who she used to be when Dad was around. But my dad wasn't who I thought he was either. I shuddered at the memories.

"Seriously, what's up?"

That did it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I saw red and decided to give this flying imbecile a little bit of logical insight.

"Well," I smiled sweetly. Maybe if I pretended I wasn't angry and talked to him like he was 2 months old I could see again. Not a chance. "It all started on a misty night where I was kidnapped and nearly killed by psychotic gang members. Then, I was shot, in the middle of a, conveniently, shooting. Then i was taken to a mansion, the mall, where I was nearly molested by Fang and some freakish old man. Then the School, where I was locked up, got installed with _wings, _and then I was taken to another mansion, where Fang kissed me, punched me and effectively knocked me out, and woke up to breakfast in bed."

I turned, seething, and turned around again and found James right in my face because he'd tried to follow me. "Not to mention the party, at the _other_ shooting. Where I killed somebody!" I gasped and looked at James. Ah, he looked so much better when he wasn't being seen from a haze of red. Still, I was angry and upset enough to turn and march off like a psychotic drill sergeant. I felt a prickling sensation in my eyes. Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. I was not going to cry. Not here, in front of James. I abruptly got off the dirt road and was surprised when I could still see the top of the house, far away, over the trees.

I surged into the forest, royally pissed and scared. My life was so terrible. At first being here had been okay. People were nice. I didn't have to deal with school, being an outcast, at school and at home. I didn't have to deal with… anything. And now there was everything, including a boy I hated and liked and the burden to destroy branches of the same institute located all over the world, filled with psychotic scientists and royally screwed up experiments. I felt a sob try to escape and in my attempt to hide it, it came out as a strangled moan.

Suddenly, as I began walking down a steep hill, I fell, the pain that came from my ankle shooting up my leg later than when it should have. I sobbed this time, and jumped when I felt that there was a hard chest to lean back on. I cried and cried and cried. When I was done I felt so… stupid. I was acting like a child. I was seventeen years old; it was time to grow up. And maybe that's one of the reasons why I cried. I didn't want to have to deal with any of this. At first it was like a dream that I would soon wake up from. But the pain, being locked up in a cell, and then having wings nonchalantly coming out of my back was not a dismissive matter.

"I know you're scared-"

"I'm not!"

"-and I know that this is new to you, and I don't know what that's like. I've always been here, doing this, running, fighting, surviving, and maybe that's not the way it should be. But it's how it is. And, Max, you weren't supposed to grow up the way you did either. You were supposed to be here with us, but things happened and… it didn't work out.

"Emily," he started and I immediately remembered Fang mentioning her to, what was it? Ted? "… was Fang's little sister. She was the nicest person anyone had ever met. She had always kept us together when we couldn't do it ourselves, which was often back then. But, Jeb… Jeb decided it was time for us to leave the School, if we did what he wanted of course. And Emily was running along with us when we escaped… but the Erasers were… everywhere. Fang grabbed her and tried to help her keep up, but she was just so little and tired. She slowed him down, and he would've died if… if Jeb hadn't of grabbed her, and pushed her right to the Erasers."

I wasn't breathing.

"They ripped her to shreds," James said, quiet, fragile, just like the air around us. "Right in front of us, they did. Fang never looked the same. He was hysterical when we were running, and even when we finally settled down for the night. That's when the real Jeb came out." He laughed a little, but it was obvious nothing was about to be funny. "He grabbed Fang, in front of everyone and hit him and yelled. Told him he was a, I believe, 'pansy-ass mama's boy' or something. Slapped him around, told him he was nothing but a little baby who couldn't handle what he was meant to. And then… then he dragged him off in the forest and all of us, the kids, we were quiet and still. I heard him screaming, Fang, it was faint even for me so they were way away, but it had to have been loud. No one knows what happened, and no one ever asked, but no one's seen Fang cry since, and I doubt he has." It was quiet and when I breathed in I realized I hadn't in awhile. " When he came back there wasn't a scratch on his body, not a new one at least, but it was obvious he'd been crying and I've never seen him look so scared, before or since. This, Max, is not little mama's boy's work, though. You gotta be tough and stand up for what's right, even if you get hurt along the way. We're not doing it to do it, we're doing it to save other little kids. Little kids we used to be. Little girls who should be walking around crying cause somebody stole her crayon instead of the fact that being tortured and thrown into a cage is normal. Little boys who should be playing with action figures instead of the bars on their dog crate. We're saving people, and a lot have already died for the cause. And it's hard to do, because we didn't have anyone to do it for us. Fang started this, and I'm going to help him finish it. And I know you're upset and pissed off and scared, and despite what Fang says, that's ok, Max." He stood up. "And I like you being around here, but if you're not willing to help, then you need to leave."

He held out his hand and I felt that it was more than just to help me up. "Either you're coming or not," he shrugged, looking unsurely at me as I stared.

"What if I don't know how… or what to do… or if I can handle it?" I looked down.

"That's why we're all here, all together. We're a flock, Max. One moves, we follow. One cries, we help. And there's fights and yells, and we all hate each other sometimes. But we can't, not forever, because we're all family, even if we don't want to be sometimes." I stared at my hands, and thought for a moment. And then, with hardened eyes I looked up, and took his hand in mine, and we walked back together. And suddenly, the moment I had just had where it all came together, left me more confused than ever as I stared at our hands, still intertwined.


	16. Chapter 16

The next day, Fang had pushed me out of bed- literally- bright and early. I was standing in the kitchen, getting over the waves of pleasure I had had stuffing my face with James's food, as Fang walked back and forth in front of me like an obsessive compulsive drill sergeant.

"I've taught you how to fight," he began, "but now you need to understand what it's really like to be on the spot. You need to learn how to be able to make split decisions instead of freezing up."

He stopped to stare at me and I stared back. What was he looking at?

"…Okay… That's…cool…"

He nodded once, minutely. "Get dressed," he said, nodding his head toward the stairs, "and be ready for a long day."

Huh. Okay…_ whatever_ this man had in mind, I was almost positive it was not for the protection of my well-being. I had never been more correct.

I dressed in skinny jeans, with the only shoes I liked that I had been given besides the Sperry's- black boots-, and a black and grey top that I couldn't help notice my curves in. I looked like… a girl for once. I tilted my head in thought as I studied myself. Gross.

However, as Fang circled me in the food court of the busy mall, I wondered if he was really just checking me out.

"Now," he stopped in front of me, "which of the stores around us would you say is the most populated?"

_What?_

"What?"

"Um… Hollister?"

"Great. Now, I need you to walk inside, and steal something." 

"Are you crazy?" I hissed. "What is wrong with you? I'm not stealing anything! And what if I get caught?"

"Well, that's the point," he said calmly, with that annoying little smirk on his face, "you need to figure out how to run without having a panic attack."

"Yeah, and don't worry, Maxie," James said. I jumped. Oh yeah…he's here. "We'll protect you."

"Thank you, that makes me feel very reassured," I told him and he put a hand over his heart and dry sobbed, _obviously_ touched. I rolled my eyes. "And, Fang, what if I said no?"

James made a shriek of horror, moving his hand to cover his mouth.

And then, I felt…calm for a moment, only a moment. A moment in nowhere and I had no idea where I was or what I was doing. And jerked back to reality…except James and Fang were nowhere to be seen and I was inside the store. Talk about having a panic attack. I looked around, shocked.

"HI, welcome to Hollister," a shrill voice squeaked. Oh, no…

She started talking, I think, but I was too busy. I was just going to grab something and go. Simple as pie. What does that even mean?

"Huh? Oh, yeah, uh, hi…"

I picked up a skirt, right by the door. The woman was already talking to someone else and I all I had to do was… walk out. Fang was watching me out the window and I stared at him as he waved. I saw James sitting at one of the tables outside, making a joke out of the whole thing, and watching. He waved to me. I flipped him off as he smiled and I turned and walked out the door. Would have been just great if the alarms didn't go off. I looked up in shock. James made a mock look of fright and shock as he put his hands on his cheeks and Fang just raised his eyebrows. The employee ran out, a man- frick- I could've taken that little, shrilly girl in there, but no.

"He-he-he, hey, how are you today?" I asked him. I looked at the skirt. "Just you know, shopping… lovely day isn't-?" I ran. I ran so fast, and couldn't help but give into temptation and shove Fang against the wall as I passed. And look, James, an innocent bystander who happened to get thrown out of his chair as a block to the employee. I ran out of the food court, none of the idiots in there having seen what happened and made it outside. I looked around- I had lost him.

"Hi, Max." I looked around to see James walking, with an ice cream cone in his hand, his arms outstretched as if to give me a hug.

"You idiots," I hissed.

"Do you like my persuasive skills, James, because I think that-?"

"FANG! What the hell was that? Why- how- what did? How do you people do this! You're all crazy! I'm leaving." I turned and stopped.

Security guards. I gulped. "Uh…"

_You have to think fast, I remembered Fang telling me. Don't let them intimidate you. You have the upper hand; you always do, no matter what. Of course he was telling me this as he had pinned me up against a tree in the woods, so it wasn't exactly helping. I told him this. _

_He said, "Just because it isn't right now doesn't mean you don't, just always remember you're in charge, especially with the humans. You're stronger than them. In wits, strength, and coordination."_

Hmm… I'll start with the first and run like hell. Okay, wits.

"Hello, gentlemen. Thank you so much for following me to retrieve your skirt. I live in France with my cousin, who was recently divorced, to help her through this difficult time. I don't live here so I surely wouldn't have found my way back to the store." I giggled. "I'm here on business as a journalist picking up some information on security guards. Could I ask you a few questions?"

"Ma'am… we're entitled to search you for drugs at this point. Hand us the skirt and put your hands behind your head," the man said professionally.

I giggled. "Oh, you're so funny. I'll have to get your name first. Of course, the national…security guard competition will love you." I giggled.

"The what?"

"Oh, please don't tell me you haven't heard of it! France does it every year with America. We send in a person to pretend steal something of course, and then my assistant and I ask you questions." I smiled.

I pulled James up and he nodded. "Pleased to meet you, good sirs," he said in a terrible French accent.

"Who's this?" they gestured to Fang.

"My cousin."

"You said earlier that your cousin was a woman."

"Oh, she is," I leaned in forward and whispered very loudly, "she's just very confused about her self…images."

James choked and Fang kept a straight face.

"Miss, we're going to have to take you inside to investigate this, so-"

"Oh, of course you are, I know, I know, but first I just need to-" and I punched them both at the same time and ran, shrieking all the way. James was laughing and Fang yawned and was trying not to grin at my antics.

When we got back to the Corvette they had, stolen of course, I immediately sat in the closest seat to hide my face as soon as possible.

"I'm a criminal! They're going to have my face all over America. And my mother will see and think I've become a delinquent!"

"You have," Fang told me. "Now drive so we can get the air conditioning on. James's ice cream is going to melt all over my car."

"Yeah," I muttered, "_you're _car." Knowing Fang would hear it.

"Technically," James said, "I stole it, so it's mine."  
>"No," Fang argued, "you like the yellow one. This black one's mine."<p>

"Yeah, yeah."

"Why not just buy your own. You're like a bajillionaire or something."

"Yeah, well, sure." I rolled my eyes. "But, what's the point in wasting my money on something instead of just borrowing the new stuff from the giving citizens of America? None."

Oh, gosh.

"Hey, pull in here, Max, would you? I have to pee."  
>I pulled into the gas station and let James get out, barely, before I started moving again, following Fang's orders to let him get gas. He put the gas nozzle thing in and went inside to pay, for once. In the meantime, I decided to…explore.<p>

I was going through various guns very carefully in the glove compartment when a white piece of paper fell out.

It read in important, loopy handwriting:

Nicholas, it is my pleasure to be writing my one and only son once more. I'm so glad Max could make my acquaintance at my lovely party. The School tells me she is charming for them as well. I have yet another task for you to help me, your father, with.

Charlie Reynolds has once again broken the rules. It appears with dear Max's examination while she was under; he found it his duty to try out the new formula of wings that have yet to be experimented with on…less important experiments. Either way, Max is a very important experiment to my lovely collection of assassins. She has extraordinary healing powers within herself, amazing strength for that of a new addition, and potential great control. I'd love to tell her in person of my gratitude, if, of course, she's not in surgery for new wings, which she may not get if these new wings have not ruined all her muscle tissue. Then she will become, oh dear, what's the word? Oh, yes, expendable. How unfortunate she'll be if you just have to kill her.

Anyway, my precious son, in order to keep this from happening you must give her the medicine I taught you how to make that reverses the muscle strength until her wings are fully in. I'll give you new ingredients for the weakening drug next time we all have another lovely get together. Unless you'd like to perform the surgery on her yourself, without the proper numbing equipment? I know you must care about her deeply for the way you both protected each other at my little gathering and would be in more pain than she would to have to do that to her (if possible).So, naturally and as usual, you have to do as I say and remain a good little boy.

Now, the matter at hand. Charlie Reynolds. As usual, I'd like him much better dead. Train Maxie with him and make her kill him. If she can't, well, we might not need to wait and see how those wings of hers turn out after all, but, of course, that's up for you to handle. Don't disappoint me again, Nicholas. Even my own son needs setting straight sometimes, however, Jeb, a friend of mine is very good at teaching little boys how to act. But you already knew that, didn't you?

All my love.

I reread the letter three times, something my book smarts helped me to do very quickly and gasped. I had no idea what to think. Fang and James were walking casually back out to the car and I roughly shoved the letter back inside it.

Muscle tissue could be ruined, the School might kidnap me again, I had to kill someone so that… he wouldn't really kill me, would he?

I gulped as they stepped into the car and I drove away.

"I forgot the way," I said after a while.

"We know," they said in unison before Fang continued with an amused smirk. "You've been going the wrong way for at least 30 minutes."

"…Oh."

James giggled a little. "Well you drive then!" I yelled, my emotions finally breaking free. I slammed on the brakes and got out of the car, right there on the road, jumped in the back seat, roughly shoving James out of my way, and slammed the door. James wasn't sure if he should continue laughing or not. The look on my face told him he shouldn't.

Fang sat there for a second before cursing, and jumped out of the car, slamming his door in a rush. The glove compartment fell open with the force.

"I folded that paper when I read it with Fang last night," he said in confusion. "I folded…" he cussed loudly, reached forward and grabbed the letter and slammed the compartment shut right before Fang got to the door. He shoved it behind him and gave me an interrogative stare before looking completely clueless like he normally did.

Fang didn't say anything and everything was quiet and awkward and I would've been humiliated had I actually cared what they thought, but I was beyond pissed, at James now too, because he'd just said he'd read the letter too. I felt Fang's gaze on me from the mirror and for once I could help myself and not look back. I didn't know how to feel about that either.

**Okay, I'm a terrible person and should explain and apologize, but I choose not to. I'll have a new chapter up soon. **

**I hope to have reviews that are not death threats for leaving you hanging for…how long was it? Eh, I don't care. The story will be developing much more very soon.**

**Later.**


	17. Chapter 17

Crickets chirped, stars twinkled, the sky darkened, and after I'd used a necessary means of calming down with a few choice words, my heart stopped pounding at the rate of 360 mph. I'd run off, something of normal occurrence for me, and had my very first adrenaline rush, as Fang had had the courtesy of telling me, at least, about that. Fang and I were the only ones who had the ability to control ourselves through one. The others, they lost it and just went on pure, protective, animal instincts. We, on the other hand, could move quickly, react quickly, tolerate pain more, and think quicker. The others, half of them could barely remember fights they'd just been in.

I looked down at my bare feet sitting still in the moving water of the stream I had found.

I heard a stick break and crack the silence and looked up sharply. Fang.

"'M sorry I didn't tell you anything."

"Yep."

"James said he tried to talk to you, too."

"Yeah… where is he?" I asked hesitantly.

Fang looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "Pulling glass out of his face… from a vase that somehow landed on him at top speed."

"Hm. Right." My eyebrows rose up and then sunk back down again and I looked away. Oops.

"Max-"

"Will you just leave me alone?"

"Nope."

I sighed. My previously relaxing position somehow became uncomfortable with him watching me.

We sat in silence for a while and all the things I'd wanted to yell before at him suddenly weren't coming to mind. After an hour or so, he looked at me, and said, "I'll leave you be. But come back soon."

I rolled my eyes as he stood and turned. I got up and went the exact opposite way than him, and okay, maybe it was mainly just to piss him off, but I'd had enough.

"Trouble brewing from the young lady, I see?"

I gasped and jumped, looking around for the unfamiliar voice and its person.

"Boo," someone said in my ear.

I whirled around again and felt my heart rate rising. "I haven't seen you since I saw you in the alley. So scared." He laughed. "So weak. Fang's done a nice job on you, I see."

"You're Dylan?"

He laughed, a sickly laugh that had chills seeping in from the outside and sinking into my veins, floating on the blood going all around my body.

"Indeed." There was a pause, in which I backed away, and he stepped forward. "I love a lot of things, you know?" 

"No."

"Being tricked isn't one of them, Max," he whispered as he ran his fingers up my forearm. "Not one bit. Don't worry though, sweetheart. I'll get what I want in the end. You know what I want?"

I stepped back again. Where the hell was Fang and his freakish ninja crap when I _actually_ needed it?

"I want you." And he stepped forward, and suddenly, everything went black.

**Okay, so, I can explain. My computer, like, died, but it's alive again, even though we had to erase everything on it. But its all good now. **

**I know it's a pretty stupid chapter but… I needed it to get where the story's going so…**

**Tell me what you think.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay, so I hope this has been a quicker update than usual…**

**Thank you so much for your reviews, guys, they make me smile ;) although I must say Milogirls was most persuasive…0_0**

**Anyhoo, Secret, I understand all your concerns, the broken ribs are due everyone's superior strength and Max's having not been, shall we say, activated yet. Max's situations do come out that way like "damsel in distress" but, (also in answer to your other question) she lives in a very rundown place with her mother, very poor, where everyone kind of has to do what they have to do to live. Kind of like where someone would say the bad side of town I guess…does that make since? Probably not…**

**Either way, she's used to seeing fights and things, goes to a bad school, and has mostly stayed out of all of it by hiding in school and books, and trying to do something better for herself and was very startled when she was suddenly shoved into the middle of what she'd been trying to hide from. And now, to everyone, some of you have been questioning Max's personality. Guys, I know she comes off as weak, but just read above and you'll understand the reasons. Through her experiences throughout the story, she'll find herself (the kickbutt mutant as we know as the real one).**

**Anyways…enough of my ramblings I suppose… I'd put something besides DISCLAIMER, but if I were James Patterson, I'd be writing a novel, not a story for a website…just saying.**

**CHAPTER 18**

I woke up slightly startled, although when my eyelids broke apart, I was in a lonely room without the faintest sound or movement. My head was hammering and my eyes moved around faster than they ever had before, as if moving over the same part of the room several times would reveal something I had not seen before. There was a bed in the middle of the room, which I saw as I looked down hoping to find some sort of escape route, and realized for the first time that I had been placed on top of it.

I was not that afraid, as a strange sense of numbness had come over me, that I was sure would vanish as soon as someone revealed themselves, making this all much more real…

I vaguely thought back on, what I assumed because there were no windows, had been only last night, to my conversation with Fang. How stupid was I? He and James had had a point; I wouldn't have wanted to know what they had to do for my wings and now they might think I'd run away…. Replaying my conversation with Fang and how he left…listening to me deliberately walking in the other direction…

And now, oh no, only God knows what these people want with me, and Dylan just wants me in general…

I got up from the bed, and walked around the room, exploring. There was a desk, a tall dresser, a bedside table and two doors. I went to one immediately, but told myself not to get my hopes up. When the doorknob merely twitched and halted no more than a centimeter away from where I had started twisting, I wasn't surprised. I turned to the door that was to my left, so close to the same corner that if the other door would've opened, it would have covered the other door completely, and vice versa. My spirits were expecting less than they had been for the other, which had been nothing, so when the doorknob twisted open and the carved rectangle of wood swung open easily, my heart lurched in a way it hadn't ever before.

I peered, and stared and then, tossed my hands in the air and shut the door a tad bit too harshly than I'd originally planned. A bathroom would not have been the first choice I would've picked for escape routes. However, before I could fully come to my senses and panic, or throw some sort of fit, like I had when I'd hurled the vase at James's face, there was a cold, gentle rapping on the door, which seemed to be mocking me.

"Maxie? Are you awake?" said a very gentle, very cold voice.

I couldn't bring myself to answer. I wondered for a minute piece of time, why people always said their hearts always began beating fast. Mine had stopped completely. The door echoed a _click_ into the room and it slid open with a gentle fierceness.

Dylan looked exceptionally pleased to see me standing there, my eyes narrowed, obviously having been searching for a way out and couldn't find one.

"I've been wanting to see you for quite some time." He smiled and I wanted nothing more than to walk up and spit on his perfect face. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay?"

His eyebrows rose and he kicked the door shut behind him.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, do you not remember our conversation before? I want you, here, with me. I've got that now."

"Why do you want me?"

He seemed to contemplate answering to me, but then opened his mouth. "You deserve better than Fang and those who choose to stay with him. He's weak, does nothing but gets told what to do and does it like a good little boy. They don't think, Max. They aren't planning some sort of fight or revolution; they couldn't carry it out if they tried, so they don't need to waste your time. It's too important."

I wanted to tell him they were planning on just that, a fight, they need me and Fang together, but if Dylan was supposed to be the bad guy here, why was he saying these things?

"We need your strength and ability to help us. We can take down the School together; we can get rid of it, in one explosion on each facility-"

"How do you plan on saving the other…" what was I supposed to call them? "the other experiments?"

His bright blue eyes seemed to dry up and go cold. "They're just as weak as people like Fang, Max. There's no need to associate with them. If they can't get their selves out of there in the first place they deserve to die. We wouldn't waste our time with people like them."

My knowledge of why Fang and Dylan hated each other was steadily increasing.

He walked closer and reached up long, tan fingers to run through my hair. I wanted to let him do whatever he wanted and just let him leave, but only for a moment. I picked up my hand and swatted at him and, realizing I still had use of my body, kicked him right where he needed to be. He doubled over, mumbling a gurgled "Oh!" of surprise. When he could stand again, his eyes looked like if I touched them they might burn off my fingers. I'd never seen anyone look more evil and I wondered, if maybe, he looked at me like that for too long it would kill me. But I stood my ground, and when he took another step forward to tower over me, so close that we were touching, I defiantly looked into his face and put a look if indifference on my face, just for the satisfaction of knowing he knew it would be a while before he scared me.

"Fang has taught you well, taught you how to be braver than he ever will be, but I must say," he whispered, getting closer to me without a quiver or unsteadiness, an air of absolute control following him, and I felt my hand twitch with the urge to slap him across his face, "we need you, yes, but, I expected you to be smarter than this. However, I will use any means of persuasion necessary. You're going to regret what you've just done."

And he turned, and walked out of the room, a mocking _click_ emitting from the closed door, leaving me alone in the semi-darkness.


	19. Chapter 19

It had been two days since he'd last seen her. He should have told her about the letter. He should have told her so much more before something like this could have happened. Now she was gone.

Fang was sure Max was smart enough to realize Dylan was psycho, but really, there were many things to be used against Fang that Dylan could tell her, and they would all be true. But there was still a lot she didn't know yet, things that would make her realize she should stay with Fang, needed to stay with Fang, but he hadn't told her, and now, because of _him, _she might never know.

Besides, even if they didn't find her in time, Dylan would just kill her if she refused to side with them. Dylan and his group didn't even need her; winning her over would just be for the pure satisfaction of beating Fang. But so would hurting her. That's all Dylan wanted. Power, yes, but more so was just being better than Fang and taking away what he wanted.

Fang always taught himself never to get more involved than absolutely necessary. What was the point anyway? His life was filled with loss. A way to make it not hurt was to not care who came in and not care who went out.

That's why Dylan had waited for Max. First let him have her for a while, to get to know her, to memorize the sounds she made while she slept, the soft sparkle in her deep brown eyes, her laugh…he let him have it. So he could take it away. And what a genius, evil little bastard Dylan was.

Fang should have told her more about the bond they shared. She might not even live through growing her wings without him there and there would be no hope for saving all the experiments. There was so much they shared other than fighting skills and strategies and he hadn't even hinted to her that there was more. He should have. She didn't even know she could evenly match Fang because she could read minds too. She should know that, but she didn't, because of him.

Besides, Dylan had connections with the school. He wanted more experiments so he could use them as his little army. God knows he wouldn't tell Max that. However, Fang was more worried about what he _would _tell Max. He knew it wouldn't be anything to get her happy with Fang.

He was worried she would choose to stay with Dylan and he was worried she wouldn't. But Dylan would do something terrible to her, even if only in the long run, no matter what she decided. Dylan didn't truly need Max anyway.

Fang's heart was pounding and his blood was pulsing through him, trying to keep up. But he set his face straight, the way he always did so people couldn't see the real him and wouldn't get involved. Getting involved just got people hurt.

When the gang met up to try and start a plan to save Max, he kept still and looked uninterested. Uninvolved. This time, though, it wasn't an act for others. Mainly, he was just trying to convince himself.

_Max's POV_

I could have written a novel. The pages would be filled with crazy scenarios. Explosions, torture, rescue, wild animals, massive thunderstorms…each one had a pretty reasonable plan and escape route to match. However, my forever wandering mind didn't really spring to action when the door to the room innocently opened and closed. I hadn't planned for something like that.

As far as I got was leaping off the bed, up on my feet, my fists clenched, and adrenaline pumping. My opponent was leaning against the door casually. He looked too perfect to be real, with a slight smile and a superior, amused look in his eyes that made me want to gouge them right out of their sockets.

"Hey," he said softly. He said it to me like he would say it to his lover, one he hadn't seen in months. I think that I almost killed him.

I stared at him as my adrenaline went down and my wonder started to rise. Why was he acting like this? What did he want? I had no idea and I wondered why I hadn't thought about this instead of random escape routes that wouldn't really help since I had no idea what was outside this room. And that was exactly the problem.

Nothing seemed real in this small room. But maybe it wasn't that. I never really grasped things until they were over and I was looking back.

I wouldn't have answered Dylan anyway, but I knew if I had, my voice would be scratchy. The sink in the bathroom didn't work and after a nightmare about running towards a lake, but unable to get there because Dylan was holding me back, I had slowly walked over to the toilet. The water looked clear enough, but the shape the toilet was in… I decided to save the toilet water for if my thirst ever got to the point of deep, _deep_ dehydration.

My shoulders drooped slightly when I realized he didn't have any type of food or drink with him, but I kept my head up and held his stare.

He began to walk towards me and I had an instinct that told me to back away. He was looking at me like I was some sort of prize to win, or a game to be played and won. I wouldn't let him leave this room still thinking that.

"I was wondering," he said softly as he came to a stop in front of me, "if you've changed your mind. I'd love to have a talk with you."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Ah." He said it like he'd been expecting it. Like he knew-_what if he had expected it?_ Could he read minds also? Were there more reasons for him having the upper hand than I knew about? I suddenly felt very out of place, especially when I had to look up to see the superior look in his eyes that seemed like it was making itself at home. "But there are many things I have to say to you. You can put on that cute little pout if you like, Maxie, but I know you'll be interested. You're bringing all of this upon yourself. That can all be stopped if you just listen."

Then after a moment, he prodded, "Maybe we could even get a little something to eat? You've missed about four days worth of meals. That's quite much, especially for someone becoming used to a new diet and, practically, a new and developing body."

I really wanted to say okay, only for the food, really, but I _was _curious. But…

"Come with me," he said. He walked toward the door and held it open for me like a gentleman would. He expected me to follow him out like a lost puppy and then hang on his every word for some food in return; and, then, I would desert Fang and kill everyone back in the School who was locked in a cage like an animal.

I used my inner strength to stay rooted to the ground and glare at him. I really didn't know what to do other than that. I didn't have to ponder over this long.

He strutted over, looked me in the eye, and backhanded me across the face. I'd caught his hand just before he hit my cheek and tried to twist it back, like I'd practiced on Fang. I stopped some of the force, even though he caused my fist that was closed around his wrist to pummel into my cheek as well. He looked a little surprised, and I couldn't blame him, because I was too, but also a little afraid. Fang had never hit me that hard. In fact Fang had never hit me at all, not in the face, just showed me the steps in slow motion of what I needed to do.

Dylan's surprise lasted shorter than mine. My fist was still closed around his wrist when he brought his other hand up and punched me in the stomach. Hard. I groaned and felt whatever remains that was left in my stomach rise up to my throat before I took a small breath and swallowed it back down.

Without thinking, I took his wrist and twisted so his arm was straight and the palm of his hand was facing up while I took my other hand and pushed up on his elbow, trying to break his arm. He let out a grunt and it took him a moment to use his other arm to push me off.

I had become _so _pissed. As I fell back, I wrapped my ankles around his knee so he tripped forward, and I connected one of my feet to his groin as he fell toward me.

A guttural moan escaped him, right after a startled moan. I knew, of course, as it was obvious, that he had the upper hand in this fight, but I was pleased that he was the only one making sounds in the fight.

I crawled out from underneath him and ran to the door and tugged. It opened. I ran outside and slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside. There was a hall that went either way. Some instinct told me to go right and I raced down the hall and picked up speed when I heard the door I had just locked being kicked at repeatedly. I had tried that but it wouldn't budge and it was obvious it had been enforced somehow.

"HEY!" someone shouted. Every cuss word I knew popped through my brain. There were more people here and they were after me too. I had to get away. I ran around another hall and then another, trying to find my way as much as the ones chasing me were.

Then, a window- small, but I knew if I angled myself just right I could fit through it. If only I could fly now, it would've really come in handy. The window was in line with the trunk of a very round, fat tree. The limbs could be seen and the ground past the tree made me estimate that this was the second story to whatever kind of building I was in. I picked up my pace, knowing if I slowed down I'd lose my nerve.

I dove at the window, fists and arms first, then the rest of my body. I shrieked as glass sliced through my shirt to my stomach and then my legs. I couldn't open my eyes through the pain but squinted them open in just enough time to close them again. So much for trying to land on my feet. I groaned and hurriedly opened my eyes to be met with the sight of the tree right next to me and staggered to my feet and kept going, unbalanced and swaying. But I took a deep breath, opened my eyes and ran.

I blocked out the pain and ran at the woods hoping to get as lost as the people trying to chase me would. I had no idea where I was but I felt more confident when I heard the commotion through the window of those still inside. I saw Dylan yelling at a guy for trying in vain to fit through the window and telling everyone to go downstairs to the door.

I was running out of time and had to try to get the best head start I could. It was no longer a relief to be outside, it just left me with the fear of having to go back. I was fatigued but there was no way I could stop for food anytime soon.

I ran and I ran and I ran until the fear that they were right behind me was ebbing away but still I didn't stop. I didn't know where I was going or where I was coming from, but I knew one thing, something deep inside of me needed Fang, and I wouldn't stop until I found him.

**Okay… I know I totally suck. But ive been having a really hard time with some family issues, plus school and life, but I swear im going to update more soon. Also this story should come to an end in a few chapters, but don't worry! There will be a sequel **** im going to try to update tomorrow, so be on the lookout!**


	20. Chapter 20

_Max's POV_

My back was on fire.

That was the first thing I noticed before the rest of my senses began to wake up. It was on the middle and upper part of my back and the burning intensified near my spine.

"Gah," I groaned when I tried to move. I assumed it was due to the ground I'd been sleeping on (for who knows how long) and the cramped space.

I had run for what seemed like an eternity before I couldn't help but collapse at a river I found and drank the clear, cold water until I felt sick. Then, I crawled up under a small ledge I found along the bank about half a mile away from where I'd been drinking and promptly fell asleep.

I hissed as I slowly crawled out, and then went even slower, as paranoia set in.

_What if they were just now getting up too? Did they already know I was here? Were they waiting for me? Could they see me right now?_

I took a deep breath and forced myself to stand, pushing all my thoughts away, after turning in circles and inspecting everything around me, of course. I drank as much water as I could, even after I wasn't thirsty anymore, not knowing how long it would be until I got water again.

There's really no need to bore you with the details of my walk through the woods. I walked until the sun rose from the horizon, my shoulders hunched and my eyes drooping, until it made its way over my head and further. It was probably around two or three in the afternoon.

It wasn't until that point, when suddenly I veered to the right and had the strange urge to go that way. My body had done this on its own accord and I had no idea why, but somehow I _knew_ this was the way. This, by the way, was insane, since I was in the middle of the woods and didn't even know where I was going, with the exception of finding Fang.

I was too tired at this point to care, however. Nothing was exactly _sane_ right now. I looked up and sighed. I didn't think it ever would be again. Thoughts crossed over to my mother and I stopped suddenly, wondering why I wasn't trying to get back to her, trying to go home.

_Was that bad? Was something so wrong with me that I had to go in search for a boy with wings who'd kidnapped me because of a strange and unexplained yearning to be around him? _

Either I seriously, _seriously_ lacked affection or something about him deeply affected me. Something told me it was both. But also, there was something more than that going on. Things that _certain people_ hadn't told me about (people I was-_sigh_- no longer mad at), things I still didn't understand. But I had a feeling it had something to do with me and I really couldn't ignore it forever. Plus, walking around with wings and having the ability to fly plus other little…_abilities_ in a normal life would be crazy.

Actually, it was crazy anyway, but what could I do? Besides, I realized, I really did need Fang. If I was really getting wings soon-_no, I still hadn't grasped it yet_- he needed to be there to fix whatever it was Richard had said in that letter.

I looked down at the cracks in the sidewalk and thought, _What the hell?_

I was on a sidewalk. In a town. _What the hell?_

Something had brought me here. The same instinct that had told me to go right in the forest had somehow brought me here! I had never had a good sense of direction before, so where was it coming from now?

I knew it was whatever the School had done to me, but I decided not to linger on that right then.

The point was… I had found my way back! And I knew Fang was here. I didn't know how I knew, but I'd been here with Fang before.

My heart was pounding. I didn't know how to take this, but I listened to whatever it was that was leading me around and went in the direction it told me.

Suddenly, as I caught sight of a bench (at that point a seat was equal to Heaven), I shut it off and sat down, quickly feeling my legs and feet become the most relieved of pain I'd ever felt before. This time, it wasn't an instinct that had me looking around in paranoia, so I stopped being freaked out and just relaxed.

I must have sat there looking like some homeless drop-out from high school for at least an hour, before an older woman with short, curly white hair came over to me and asked if I needed a place to stay and informed me that _Annie's Bed and Breakfast_ was down the street a few blocks. On another day, I would've turned red in embarrassment but I couldn't bring myself to care, so I settled for a nod of my matted hair and a raspy, "No, ma'am. Thank you."

She gave me something between a pitied smile and a small grimace, before pulling out a faded leather wallet and handing me a twenty dollar bill.

"Don't spend this on alcohol or drugs, sweetie. They aren't worth your life, even if you don't have anything going for you right now."

I wasn't sure if I should feel uplifted or annoyed. As she walked away, grumbling something like, "So sad…._this generation_…" I settled on briefly raising my eyebrows and quickly stuffing the money away in the pocket of my jeans.

I wanted so badly to lie across the bench and just sleep, but I was too tired to move and my back was _killing _me. I reached back to massage it for a moment, but I let out a surprised gasp and quickly stopped. That did _not_ help.

I took a deep breath, ignoring my back for a moment, and thought. I actually did need some food and I wasn't elated any more at finding a random town where I was somehow sure it was the one Fang's place was at.

I forced myself to stand and look around the town. I walked along the sidewalk and quickly put my hair up in a pony tail as I walked-suddenly seeming to care as I got a few more looks. Maybe it wouldn't look as filthy now.

I found a little café that seemed like it would be cheap enough and immediately went to the small bathroom. It was a little like what you would find in a gas station, but it was clean enough.

As I saw my reflection I thought, _You can deal with it as long as it's cleaner than you._

It was, too. My hair was…ewe. Dirt was smudged on bits and pieces of my face, neck and arms. My clothes were filthy and the knees of my jeans were stained with dried mud. I assumed it was from where I had knelt at the river. Plus, I was quite convinced that the awful stench I suddenly became aware of as I examined myself was _not_ from the bathroom.

I sighed and took off my shirt, wincing as I moved my arms in a way that stretched the muscles in my back.

My eyes widened.

_Muscles. In my back. Muscle tissue in my back. _I looked in the mirror with a steady face, my lips pinched close together as I willed myself to admit it. _It was the…wings._

My eyes closed tight. I felt clammy and cramped in the small bathroom, suddenly, and I felt like I would panic if I couldn't find Fang soon. He would know what to do. Fang always knew what to do. I looked at my stomach where there was an ugly green bruise where Dylan had punched me and was shocked into remembrance of the window when I saw the bloodied, nearly numb scrapes from the glass. It didn't hurt as bad as it would have before the School had gotten a hold of me. I guessed I was stronger now, or just had a higher pain tolerance, or maybe both. I felt the bruise go numb for a moment and then tingled.

I shook my head as I turned on the sink and began washing off my face, neck and torso, careful around the scratches and examining them closely, by some miracle only finding a small amount of glass left in them. I took off my jeans, suddenly realizing that my shirt and jeans were ripped. My shirt was a lot better than I thought, my jeans a lot worse.

When I saw the long slab of glass in my leg I wondered why I hadn't gotten it out yesterday, while my adrenaline was going and it wouldn't have hurt so badly. But I'd been so exhausted, and getting away had been my only goal. Now I wished it hadn't been.

My pointer finger touched a piece of the glass gently and I hissed when the touch seemed to spread through the glass and send fire wherever it touched my leg. _Crap. This was gonna suck._

I got some paper towels, briefly hoping I wasn't causing a line outside the one person bathroom, but found I had some slightly more important things to care about at the moment. I ran some water over the cut, hoping somehow it would loosen up the glass. I sat down and covered the slab completely with the paper towels and almost surprising myself with the speed, I had pulled it out. I let out the F-bomb remarkably loud and wondered, if there really was a line outside, what conclusions people would come to about what I was doing. It almost made me laugh, but I stopped as I felt my stomach clench, figuring it was the bruise.

I folded up some clean paper towels and set them across my thigh, where the wound was, and put my jeans on over it, hoping it would work at covering up the slash in the jeans and my leg. I was about to do the same on my side when I noticed the bruise again for some reason. There was _something_ about it. Maybe it began to hurt more because even though I had recovered from the bullet, I had a natural inclination to be overly sensitive on my stomach now?

Suddenly, I fell to the ground. I wheezed. This feeling in my stomach…did it hurt? No words in the English language will ever describe that feeling. It was deep inside of me, right below my sternum and I realized with shock that it wasn't from the bruise. Did this maybe have something to do with the wings? My back still hurt but…maybe it would affect my stomach too?

My instinct was almost like the feeling I got while I had period cramps. I really wanted to clench my stomach and curl up but it would probably feel better if I lay flat and relaxed. But I needed this feeling. It didn't bring pleasure… but, somehow, it brought something I needed. Something I _really_ needed. Anything on a list of things I truly needed was Fang.

I needed Fang. Somehow, this feeling would bring Fang.

I was lying down now, but I didn't notice. I think I was whimpering at the power of it all, the feeling was wearing me out and took everything I had to clench my stomach, but I did. There was no other option. All I was aware of was the light from the ceiling that registered in my mind when it made its way through my eyelids, which kept cracking open as I writhed on the ground, and Fang.

All I could think of was Fang.

And everything went black.

_Third Person_

"But are you _sure _she's close enough to use your bond, Fang? You know she won't know how to react. If she's with Dylan and he realizes you're using your bond he'll-"

"I can feel her! I already told you! If that little faggot's still there when I get to her, he better be ready for a fight. I swear to God if he's hurt her, I'll kill him," Fang said, snapping momentarily out of the bond.

"Won't we try to kill him anyway?"

Fang sighed, the bond limiting him to anger he could feel toward James. But that was okay.

_Max…_

He was getting closer. Besides, he wasn't sure that even he would have the heart to really yell at James. He was never worried or serious. Of course, _Fang _had seen him like this before, but it was still a very rare occurrence.

His thoughts of Max were interrupted again, as James was saying something about not coming on too strongly since Max wouldn't know how to handle it. He sighed. At the very worst, it would knock her unconscious, but that might cause the bond to become much weaker and it would take a very long time to find her, if he could at all.

"FANG!" James broke through his delirium. He smiled. "Watch where you're go-! FANG! You're in the middle of traffic!"

Fang sighed deeply. James was so nice. He felt himself being shuffled and pushed about by someone behind him.

"You lovesick_ idiot! _Can you even hear...I swear to you, Fang, this is…"

Then there was a wall. He stepped against it. Max was here. If only he could just-

"FANG!"

"…What?"

Fang turned around and looked at him dumbly. How had they gotten here again?

"Uh… either you get off on hugging walls or Max is inside this-"

He spun around and raced through the door, James following him swiftly from close behind. They looked at all the table's occupants, and then looked again. No Max. The bond was weak now but Fang was sure she was here. She must be unconscious or she somehow fought her instincts and closed the bond. He figured the first.

He felt it thrumming inside his chest and it got stronger as he walked further and further inside the little restaurant.

"The bathroom. Check the bathroom."

Fang ran forward and pulled the handle. Locked. He knocked impatiently twice. No answer. He pressed against the door and closed his eyes. She was inside.

"Max? Max, it's us. You can open the door," James said. Fang felt a deep possessiveness creep over him, wanting to tell James to shut the hell up, because Max didn't want him. She only needed Fang. He moaned. The bond was so intense now, warming up as it stayed closer and closer to Max.

James pushed Fang out of the way, and he snapped out of again, grateful that James was here, now, because Fang could have stood there all day, just feeling. Max…

James kicked the door open as quietly as he could, so as not to attract attention and walked inside. Max was lying on her side, covered in some blood that came from reopened wounds, no doubt from thrashing, unable to overcome the feelings the bond gave her. That was only because he was using the bond by himself and not working together with Max. But it wouldn't hurt her, -well, he actually _could_ use it to hurt her, and vice-versa, but he would never do that- just cause bouts of unconsciousness, probably all through the night now, as it was six in the afternoon now.

The next thing he noticed after her wounds was that she didn't have a shirt on. Strangely, he felt a little guilty at the thoughts that raced through his mind. Max wasn't a girl to look shamelessly at. She deserved better.

She did have a nice body though.

He grimaced as he stepped inside with James. He made sure she hadn't hit her head on the ground and checked for major injuries. His blood boiled when he saw the fist imprint on her stomach and when he found out how they'd given her those cuts he knew he'd be angry all over again. But, he forced himself to gently slip his own shirt over her head, after discovering hers was ripped, which made him a little worried about what had happened to her. He looked back at her face and then closed his eyes before gently sweeping her up in his arms.

James looked at him and swallowed. "Before you made a mad dash into oncoming traffic, across the street we came from behind some old buildings. It's pretty quiet. I think we can manage to fly without being seen."

Fang nodded. "Let's go."

And with that, they went back and flew off into the setting sun.

**Okay, pleeaasse review! **

**Also, a late answer to everlastingwolflove—yes, Dylan has a gang, but they work willingly for the School, but that will all be explained in good time **

**September14Fall—I thought you should know, that when I read your review I was : EEP! XDDDD haha, thanks. Oh and btw, im actually 15 now**

**Thank you to everyone else who reviewed, I love to see what you guys think.**

**I'll try and update soon **


	21. Chapter 21

_Third Person_

"You know we'll owe him something big after this, right?"

Fang sighed. James must really think he was an idiot. Getting any help from Richard at all meant a price-a big one- , but did it really matter, anyway? Fang always seemed to owe him something or he was just forced into something. Either way, he'd have to do something bad for him. He thought it was worth it right now. Taking Max to Richard now seemed to be the only option.

It was around three in the morning. It had only been nine hours since they'd found Max but even in her sleep anyone could tell she wasn't doing too great. Her back was bruising, a sign that the wings underneath were seriously upsetting her muscles. They weren't supposed to be. When he'd been at the School, he could remember the pain of them breaking skin, new wing muscles getting stronger as he was forced to exercise them. And, of course, his back had hurt like hell, but his wings had never pushed the muscles in his back to the side or damaged his back like Max's were. The only thing he could think of was that they were either implanted too deep, a mistake he didn't find likely, or the wings were growing too far out to the side, somehow failing to break through the skin first.

He couldn't understand why they would use the new procedure on one of their most valued experiments. The School had waited for her, to see the difference of the wings after implanted into a body so close to full development. But they'd already perfected it, at least that's what he'd thought, and he didn't understand why they had ruined all the waiting by some new procedure. He figured Richard had been the one _supposed_ to be in charge of the procedure, but this Charlie Reynolds guy decided to go ahead and do what he pleased.

It just went to show how evil and careless the people who worked at the School were. They didn't think about the fact that their experiments were human beings. They didn't think about the fact that they were the ones who had made them different. They didn't think about the fact that no matter what they did to the body, they could never change emotions or feelings. All they thought about was who could come up with whatever sick idea first.

His blood _boiled _just thinking about how they'd seen him on the operating table. How they'd seen his sister. How they'd seen James. How they'd seen Max. As _nothing_. As far as he was concerned, they were the ones who needed to be tested and studied, just to find out what was going on in their minds.

Fang looked up, never changing his face or showing emotion, and said, "I always owe him something."

James nodded slowly. "Yeah." He looked like he almost decided not to say something, but then he did. "What if…what if he won't? Or what if, you know, he does it wrong? On purpose."

Fang wondered when anyone would notice that he always had these things thought out. Just because he didn't make a speech about it like everyone else didn't mean he hadn't thought it through. He sighed. Not saying a lot…another thing they had gained control over. He looked up. "He won't. He wants Max, and he knows he can use her to get me to do something for him. He knows about the bond. He thinks as long as I have her, I'll be willing to do whatever he wants, and he thinks we can do more with her, because of our bond. True…but I'm letting anymore people become his puppet. I'm ready to end this."

"I guess… but maybe he'll want to experiment-"

"James, Charlie Reynolds wasn't supposed to be in that operating room and Richard wants revenge, because he almost lost his experiment. He wants Max alive. And he wants her to make sure Charlie Reynolds is dead. Richard's not a good person, but he doesn't play games. He meant what he said about Max."

James took a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Fang, as usual, not in the mood to talk, gave a curt nod, and looked around the room. They'd abandoned where they were before, now that Dylan knew where they were, and had traveled out of the state, into another house. It was beautiful, but he hated it. It was something from Richard; it was a reminder that he knew where they were and what they were doing. His eyes sparked with fire at the thought of revenge. _Not for long_, he thought.

"I'll tell someone to call him."

"Yeah," Fang said, becoming sick at the idea of asking for help. From _him_.

He looked over at Max. She was drenched in sweat, her hair sticking to her face. Her pulse was way too fast; she was breathing extremely fast, her breaths shallow. He went into the bathroom that adjoined his room and got a soft cloth and wet it, after making sure the water was as cold as it could get.

He walked back out into the room and sat on the bed next to her. He gently swept the cloth across her face. She jumped a little, startled, but she eventually relaxed to the abrupt change of temperature and instinctively pushed against the cloth.

He couldn't watch.

Richard wouldn't ruin her, but there would be a catch if he agreed to help her. There was a chance he wouldn't numb her, wouldn't make sure she slept the whole time, or no pain medicine after. Or, what Fang really feared, was that he'd make sure to sedate her enough where she couldn't move but was still awake. He shivered. That was one of the School's favorites, to see how much pain each experiment could handle before it broke, or sometimes, died. Max hadn't been burdened with having to be trapped at the School long. He hoped, for her sake, that it wasn't ruined by this.

James returned to the room. "He'll be here tomorrow morning. At six."

_Only three hours away. _

Fang nodded, keeping a straight face, so James wouldn't know that inside, his thoughts and his heart were racing.

**Okay, well, I guess this was sort of a filler chapter. Sorry for the lack of action in this one. But don't worry, I'll be updating tomorrow ;) tell me what you guys think is going to happen!**

**Also, thank you sooo much for the reviews and to all of you who have kept up with my unstable updates. I just noticed that I've had this story up for, like, a year and a half and it only has 21 chapters ;( so sorry**

**But, anyway, now to answer some questions.**

**Awesomealpha11- Fang does feel possessive of her, because he's afraid of losing people, so it is in his personality, but when he said that about James, that was only the bond, even though he does really want her for himself. He isn't really jealous of James or anything like that. He knows Max is into him, so to speak ha-ha**

**Idklove3-Yes, James has a really deep story behind him (which you'll learn about later) and I'm planning on letting him play a big role in the sequel. And yes, there will be a lot of Max/Fang later on. Don't worry; I'm craving it as much as you are ;)**

**Also, just a shout out to TechnoSpirit, because that was such an awesome review, and thank you to everyone else that reviewed. I love seeing them. **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Third Person

Fang looked on as Max lay on the makeshift bed placed neatly in the basement of the house. Jeb had arrived early that morning, at the time he'd said he would, which unnerved Fang for many reasons, although some he couldn't quite explain. But, Jeb, or Richard for that matter, hadn't exactly proved themselves to be so trustworthy. Now, however, Fang's focus and attention had turned to Max.

The surgery had begun not long after Jeb had arrived, which was about an hour and a half ago. That was just long enough for Jeb to have moved one wing to where it should be in order to grow in the correct direction; just long enough for her muscles to be squished and moved back to where they never should've moved from. Fang sighed. It was just long enough to have a whole other side left to go and for Max to begin to rouse.

Jeb, for reasons unknown, attempted to hide the sickening smile he adorned as he began to restrain Max. Fang thought it was more terrifying to see Jeb trying to hide it than just let it show. Perhaps he was still trying to prove himself caring? Fang truly believed that Jeb wanted Max alive, that was for sure, but hope crumbled as he realized Jeb had no reason to keep her from pain or give her something to keep her under.

Fang had originally wanted to keep James out of the room, but now he was quite glad James had a powerful will. Of course, Fang would've kept the emotionless mask on-he would never take _that_ off- but it was just…easier with him here.

Jeb made the second incision with practiced skill. Max formed a strangled moan that sounded like it had tried to make its way out her throat, but it was too much to manage. Max's eyes moved wildly under the lids, and Fang wondered if she was alright.

_Was she actually awake?_

Fang wanted to go to her, whisper to her, kill this madman and tell her everything was okay, even if it was a lie. Fang looked away. He hated being close to people, because they had the ability to hurt him, intentionally or not. But… she screamed. Maybe it was too weak to be considered a scream but it made the nerves in Fang's knees feel funny and weak. He refused to go to her, though. Fang couldn't risk Jeb seeing just how much she meant to him. He knew enough of that just by Fang asking for help; and who knew how he could-_would_- use Max against him later, and what he would do to her in the process? Fang would've shivered, even voluntarily, if only to somehow release the tension in his muscles, but he wasn't that normal. He stood still. As max writhed.

Well, she attempted to, he supposed, her instincts telling her to move away, but in reality she was only making it worse. _But how would she know that? _Fang didn't know how he would bare to see this. Well… yes, he did. He'd seen much, much worse, anyway, but this was just… different. Max had already been through so much, and she had more things coming her way, that Fang had relented to tell her. But, watching her face, Fang wondered if she knew those things now she might die from stress, and was glad she had less burdens to think on at the moment.

Then, the most coherent moan she'd made came forth, and Fang knew she was near consciousness.

"Dyla"- a groan- "…n-no…" she breathed out.

If he showed emotion, Fang's eyes would've widened. She didn't remember she wasn't there anymore. Would she remember once she woke up or was the bond another thing he'd have to explain? _Well, just because you used it on her doesn't mean she knows what it is now._

Fang made up his mind. He would comfort her now. She deserved that much, no matter what would happen later on. He couldn't protect her from everything, but maybe just having a small comfort to make it through this would help her. Maybe.

He knelt down so his face would be next to hers and whispered, "It's not Dylan, Max, it's Fang. Everything's alright now." She turned her head, showing she'd heard something out of the ordinary but wasn't quite sure what.

Jeb had stopped for a moment, to pick up another utensil, and Fang said, "Max, it's-"

He stopped abruptly. Would it be better for her to endure this on the small hope that she was still too far under to remember it later, so it wouldn't matter if he said anything or not; or, comfort her in case she could hear, and risk waking her up more by talking? _Well, _Fang thought bitterly, _she'll wake up soon enough, either way._

Then, Max's eyes snapped open, wild and frenzied, her body too tired and restrained to move voluntarily.

"Oh…oh, my G-!" A high pitched wail came forth and Fang's heart ached but he didn't show it.

"It's alright," he said softly, so softly that, perhaps, she wouldn't have heard it before the surgery to heighten her senses. "I'm here. You're okay."

Her head snapped down, as if burying her head in the table and closing her eyes would pull her back into the darkness, where feelings were far, far away. He wondered if he could use the bond, or his mind controlling abilities to make her forget, and not feel. But, that wouldn't go unnoticed by Jeb, and he would certainly put an end to that. Fang closed his eyes, breathed in softly and slowly- something Max was _not _doing-opened his eyes, and gently folded away the fine locks of hair behind her ear. He gently rested a hand across her face and she flinched. Fang worried for a moment if he'd hurt her, as she began to scream bloody murder, something that sent goose bumps slowly down Fang's spine. He moved her face, gently, in a moment when Jeb had stopped for a moment to get something from his tray of utensils, and let her see his face.

Recognition dawned and she started, "F-Fang? What-" She broke into a wail and Fang grimaced and glared at Jeb, sure that he'd waited until she'd come just a little off her guard so he could surprise her.

Jeb did not notice or care as he worked away, a bright light seeming to glow in his eyes. Some people would've called it sadism. Fang thought it was more like the madness coming from within, showing itself as he worked away.

Fang swallowed as Max screamed and he ran a hand through her hair. The only thing he could do was let her know he was there and wasn't leaving.

It didn't seem to be any sort of comfort at all.

LINE

_Max POV_

Finally, _finally, _the restraints were removed. Not that I could've moved away on my own, anyway. Not now. There were deep voices around me, floating through the air, but I understood nothing but a feeling that people classified as pain. That seemed too simple a word for it, but there were no other words that came close to explaining this. Nothing.

I felt hands around me and I screamed. I wasn't aware I had until it echoed through the room, my head spinning enough already. I just wanted everyone to _get away._

"Max?" I heard.

Something familiar stirred inside me. _Am I Max?_

I opened my mouth, but now, no sound came forth.

"Max, I know it hurts, okay?" someone whispered. "I know it's excruciating, and you probably don't know where you are…But, it's Fang, Max. James and I are here, and no one's here to hurt you anymore, but I have to move you alright? Don't worry, we'll have you fixed up in no time. Just don't fight me."

_Fight? I can't even remember how to move._

Then, arms reached under me and carried me, on my stomach, up and away from the bed and began to move me. Someone had my front, while someone had my waist and legs. I couldn't be sure as I was taken up what could only be stairs.

"Help," I mouthed, because I had to let something out, and the screaming was too much now, and what else could I say? It was the closest thing that summed up what I had to say, anyway.

More walking…more stairs…more darkness. All of them surrounded me and seemed eternal and relentless and when would this stop?

I was lain down gently, but it did nothing for the pain. Something sweet was pressed to my lips and I smelled it. Maybe it would knock me out.

"Max?" My head was spinning but I could understand everything around me, I just couldn't open my eyes. "Max."

I breathed deeply, which jarred my back, and I wailed helplessly as I felt blood drying on my back.

"I know," the voice said softly, understandingly. Maybe it was nice. "Shh."

Something was pushed in my mouth now, prying it open gently, and it tasted… was that…a finger? I opened my eyes to a tanned and scarred hand. I looked up and tried to say something, but Fang gave me a small shake of the head and a sad smile. "We'll talk later. Just drink this, it's not alcohol, I promise."

I wouldn't have argued, either way, and I drank slowly, liquid spilling out over my chin and traveling slowly down my throat but I didn't stop. I hadn't known I was this thirsty, as it hadn't been a main priority just before now.

Fang wiped my face, and the towel came back wet and bloody, and I realized I'd bit my lip trying not to scream before. He moved my head into his lap and I laid there, feeling a bit better now, and more shaken up because I didn't know what had just happened, but Fang had promised to talk later and I believed him.

So, I fell into a fitful sleep, hoping this time, I wouldn't wake up like I had the past few times.

**Okay, well im not so impressed with this one but I just wrote it up really quick cause I felt bad for leaving you guys hanging for so long! Im going to try and update a longer chapter tomorrow if I have time, but don't worry, because I now have a plan for how I want to end the story. It's a good thing too cause Ive just made this story up as I went along, which is how I always write, so don't be afraid to tell me if you don't like it!**

**And sorry once again for leaving you guys hanging, my family's been having a rough time, but things seem better now, so hopefully, I can be focused on writing more.**

**And don't forget to review!**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 BD

One Week Later

Sun rays sparkled into the room through the open window and a soft breeze blew in. I groaned. It was definitely too early to wake up.

The pain in my back was nearly gone, along with my other injuries. After the day of the…"surgery", Fang had prodded me into talking, which started me on a ramble of my time with Dylan and how I had found my way back. I recalled nearly everything I could, which was quite a lot, and by the end of my story Fang's face had gone a slight pink and his hand was balled into a tight fist.

"I can't believe you did that," he'd said, and after the angry look I gave him he continued with, "Even some of us who's trained wouldn't have been able to use their instincts like that to find the way.

Then he went on to tell me about our bond, which had somehow been developed by the School when we were only infants.

"But if I wasn't at the School how could they've-?"

He looked up from where he sat on the bed and the look on his face was enough to make me pause. I assumed he'd been sitting there awake for a while, but he looked tired, almost defeated. He said sullenly, "Max… there's, well, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." I stared. "It's something about your family."

I swallowed tightly. By the look on his face, whatever it was it was probably going to upset me and I felt a deep anger burning through me. I was _so_ done with secrets. "What is it?"

He cleared his throat. There was the sound of pounding footsteps down the hall, or maybe that was my heart. "Max-"

The door flew open to reveal James. "Erasers spotted. They're moving on foot on the way here…"he panted. "What do you want us to do?"

"Move out. Now," Fang said immediately. He jumped up with enormous speed and pulled out the two backpacks from under the bed and began shoving the small amount of clothes we both had into our packs. Snacks and a large bottle of water were already in there, just like everyone in the flock's was. I went into the bathroom and grabbed toiletries and other necessary items and shoved them there as well.

"Thanks," Fang said tightly, and I realized that perhaps he was always a little more on edge than he seemed to be.

"Three minutes, people!" someone outside the door shouted, as they ran along. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"Come on," Fang said and I grabbed my bag and followed him out the door, running as quickly as I could, right behind him.

Downstairs, James' son was sitting on his hip, holding a stuffed bear tightly in his chubby hands, crying softly. James was whispering in his ear, which seemed to help, even though the crying continued.

Alice ran up to me. "I know your back is giving you hell. Do you need me to carry your bag?"

"I've got it," I said. I really didn't, because I knew hanging it over my front would still cause the straps to pull on my back and it'd be extremely uncomfortable to just hold it however far we were going, but I didn't want help anymore. The past week I'd had _enough_.

There was a quick count to make sure everyone was there and we moved out, Fang and James in the lead, and me following close behind.

"Stay low!" Fang shouted and I was momentarily stunned. He could talk that loud?

He picked me up, back to chest, and I mumbled indignantly as we took off until my breath caught. I'd forgotten I wasn't actually fond of this feeling quite yet. It made it even more uncomfortable that Fang's arms were around my ribs and that was the only thing keeping me aloft, therefore all my weight was put on that part of my body. Not to mention the position was not good for my back and it was hard to hold my head up. At least once the speed moved up to about 100 mph it pushed my legs back and my body evened out some.

"What if they follow us?" I asked.

"They can't."

I looked at Fang quizzically and he sighed as he realized he had to talk again. I rolled my eyes. "These Erasers can't fly and they can't just follow on ground."

"How do you know they can't fly?" I yelled over the rushing wind.

"If they could, they wouldn't be traveling on ground where they could be seen more easily."

We flew for hours until we reached another house that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Fang circled it widely and descended as he went, the others following.

"Brace yourself," Fang mumbled and we landed, very roughly, and I groaned and nearly fell with Fang on top of me but we ended up steadying out before that happened.

"What do you think they wanted?" James asked as he walked up.

Fang shook his head and said, "No idea."

They both looked at me for a moment and the thought rushed through my mind that maybe they were after me. Did Jeb notice something and want something done with my wings? Or maybe-

Someone waved a hand in front of my face and I blinked. James was looking at me as held his sleeping son and said, "You in there? Let's move."

I sighed and followed him and Fang inside the house and up to one of the rooms. James left shortly to find his own before people got all the good ones.

Then, Fang paced for a moment and punched the wall with striking force. Wall plaster fell as he moved his hand away from the hole he'd made. I watched him silently. He never lost control like that.

"They always find us. There's always _something._"

That night we ate silently and he barely spoke a word to me or anyone else before we went to sleep late that night.

I woke in the early hours of the morning after a nightmare of Erasers holding me down as their wolfish snouts devoured my wings, and a thought struck me. It was wild and crazy and probably one of the dumbest things I'd ever thought and I couldn't wait to tell Fang.

I smiled and drifted back into a peaceful sleep.

LINE

"What are you smiling about?" Fang asked me as we ate breakfast.

I barely hesitated because if I did, I'd start to get afraid of what he would say and that would ruin it. "I was thinking about what you said yesterday. So, Jeb and Richard kind of have you doing whatever they want in return for safety, right?"

"Mostly, yeah," Fang said after a moment.

"Well," I continued, "they haven't really been keeping their end of the deal, anyway, and if you want to start destroying the School, there's never a time like the present and-"

"Max, get to the point."

"We have to do something that shows we aren't doing what they say any longer. We have to take a stand that starts the revolution."  
>"Yeah, but what?"<p>

"Well, people think I've been kidnapped and it's been on the news a few times, so… I was thinking, what would happen if we made it more… public. If we could show people me with you and your wings."

"Max… that's crazy."

"Of course it is. That's the point! And besides, it's a pretty big warning signal to Jeb and Richard wouldn't you say?"

"Well, yeah," Fang said after a moment. "We might even be able to expose the School."

"We can't," I said immediately and Fang stared. "Even if people wanted to help, what would they think of the experiments? They'd be locked in a zoo! They'd never have a chance at even a semi-normal life. We have to handle the School on our own."

Fang stared at me, impressed.

"Max… You're a genius."

I smiled.

**Ok… well this was mainly just to set up the next chapter but I've already started on the next chapter which is the last and I have big plans for the sequel! Last chapter should be out by tomorrow. Hope you liked this one. And pleeeaaasssee review ;)**


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